December 29th - This Date in Wine History

Texas Flag.jpeg

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.

December 7th - This Date in Wine History

Texoma Council of Governments - http://www.texoma.cog.tx.us/departments/planning-

Texoma Council of Governments - http://www.texoma.cog.tx.us/departments/planning-

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.

  • André Tchelistcheff, the "dean of American winemakers was born in 1901.
  • The Australian Geographical Indication "Lower Murray" was registered in 1996. 
  • California's Ramona Valley AVA was designated in 2005.
  • The Texoma AVA was designated in 2005.
  • Washington's Wahluke Slope AVA was designated in 2005.

December 7th - This Date in Wine History

Raise a glass to the heroes who died at Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941


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.


  • André Tchelistcheff, the "dean of American winemakers was born in 1901.
  • The Australian Geographical Indication "Lower Murray" was registered in 1996. 
  • California's Ramona Valley AVA was designated in 2005.
  • The Texoma AVA was designated in 2005.
  • Washington's Wahluke Slope AVA was designated in 2005.

Editor's Note:  We at Qorkz honor the sacrifices of the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor.  Our CEO is a Navy vet, while my grandfather missed dying on the USS Utah by missing the ferry out to his ship. At some point today, please raise a glass and toast those who died and those who survived.  God bless America.