December 29th - This Date in Wine History

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Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history.

  • In a letter dated 1711 to Esther Johnson, also known as Stella, Jonathan Swift  mentioned having dinner with Ned Southwell where he drank, “very good Irish wine,”

  • Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845.  It is home to the Bell Mountain, Escondido Valley, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, Mesilla Valley, Texas Davis Mountain, Texas High Plains, Texas Hill Country and Texoma.

  • Wine Road of the Samurai is a documentary about 34 Samurai (who were also known as The Last Samurais) delegation sent by the Japanese government to France at the end of Edo era. They were sent to help solve diplomatic problems between Japan and Europe in 1863.

  • The steamship Minister Maybach left the port of Bremen in 1887 with wine bound for New York according to Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular.

  • Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu was created in 1994.

March 11th - This Date in Wine History

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Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

  • Lawrence Welk, the creator of champagne music, was born in 1903 in North Dakota.
  • The Juliénas  AOC was named in 1938. 
  • The Texas Davis Mountains AVA was designated in 1998.
  • Spain's Mondéjar DO was created in 2007.
  • Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley AVA was designated in 2008.
  • The French have a saying, « Qui a bu à la Sainte-Rosine, boira à la Sainte-Blandine. » or “He who drank at Sainte-Rosine, will drink at Sainte-Blandine (June 2).

March 11th - This Date in Wine History


Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature This Date In Wine History, we share an event of critical importance in wine history.


  • The JuliénasAOC was named in 1938. 
  • The Texas Davis Mountains AVA was designated in 1998. The primary grapes grown here are Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
  • Spain's Mondéjar DO was created in 2007. The primary grapes grown here are Tempranillo and Macebo.
  • Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley AVA was designated in 2008.  The most common grapes produced here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Vidal Blanc.