September 12th - 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.

  • Francis I of France was born in 1494. During his reign he expanded the Chateau at Fontainebleau to include a fountain that gushed watered wine.

  • Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to Thomas Newton, Jr. in 1803 regarding an order for wine and cider but notes that British war ships “continue to impress our seamen”.

  • Tom McDonald, pioneering New Zealand winemaker was born in 1907.

  • The Gundlach-Bundschu Wine Company had their trademark published by the U.S. Patent Office in 1911.

  • Raymond Burr of Perry Mason and Ironside fame died in 1993.  He established Raymond Burr Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley in 1966.

  • Happy California Wine Month!