January 19th - 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.

• Byzantine Emperor, Michael III was born in 840.  Known as The Drunkard, he was assassinated while sleeping after a drinking bout.

• Jean-Baptiste Troppmann was executed in 1870.  He poisoned his counterfeiting partner with wine and prussic acid.  He later killed the family of his partner-in-crime.

• Alexander Woollcott, drama critic, essayist, playwright, editor, actor, radio personality and member of the Algonquin Round Table was born in 1887.   He starred in the play, “Wine of Choice” at the Guild Theater (now the August Wilson Theater).

• Spain's Monterrei DO was designated in 1996.

January 19th - 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.

• Byzantine Emperor, Michael III was born in 840.  Known as The Drunkard, he was assassinated while sleeping after a drinking bout.
• Jean-Baptiste Troppmann was executed in 1870.  He poisoned his counterfeiting partner with wine and prussic acid.  He later killed the family of his partner-in-crime.
• Alexander Woollcott, drama critic, essayist, playwright, editor, actor, radio personality and member of the Algonquin Round Table was born in 1887.   He starred in the play, “Wine of Choice” at the Guild Theater (now the August Wilson Theater).
• Spain's Monterrei was designated in 1996.

November 10th - 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 play “Light Wines and Beer” opened on Broadway at the Waldorf Theater in 1930.  It ran for 40 shows.
• The Sancerre AOC was named in 1936. 
• Spain's Jumilla DO was established in 1995.
• A Good Year, a film by Ridley Scott and starring Russel Crowe opens in 2006.
• It is the feast day of St. Tryphon of Lampsaque.  He is the patron saint of gardeners and winegrowers and is invoked against rodents and locusts.