March 1st - This Date in Wine History

Kurya slaughter sviatoslav.jpg

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.

  • Sviatoslav I of Kiev died in March of 972.  The date is unknown.  This is unusual for this calendar but his story was too good not to tell.  He was killed by Pecheneg Khan Kurya who turned his skull into a drinking cup. Kurya and his wife drank from the skull and prayed for a son as brave as the cup’s owner.  

  • Ohio was admitted to the Union in 1803.  It is home to the Grand River Valley, Isle St. George, Lake Erie, Loramie Creek and Ohio River Valley.

  • John Adlum who is often considered the father or American viticulture and promoter and possible developer of the Catawba grape died in 1836.  He also the owner of a farm called, The Vineyard in Georgetown.

  • Nebraska was admitted to the union in 1867.  It has been home to bonded wineries since 1994.

  • The Alsace AOC was established in 1984.

  • It is Baba Marta Day in Bulgaria.  She is the wife or sister of January and February (represented as long horned beetles) who is angry with them because they are dunk on wine.  Her anger is represented by the breaking of the weather and return of Spring.

  • The French have a saying, « Qui taille sa vigne à la Saint-Aubin, aura de gros raisins. » or “He who prunes his vines on St. Aubin’s day will get big grapes”.

October 21st - This Date in Wine History

Benalish_Muller-Thurgau.jpg

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.

  • George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence was born in 1449.  He was accused of plotting his brother Edward IV and was executed in the Tower of London by being drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine.

  • Horatio Nelson, Lord Admiral of the British Navy and the Hero of Trafalgar died in 1805. His body was placed in cask of brandy, mixed with camphor and myrrh and later transferred to a lead coffin filled with spirits of wine.

  • Hermann Müller, a Swiss botanist and oenologist created the Müller-Thurgau varietal in 1882 was born in 1850.

  • Ohio's Grand River Valley AVA was designated in 1983.

  • New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania Lake Erie AVA was designated in 1983.

  • California's Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Russian River Valley AVA were designated in 1983.

  • Verbicaro DOC was created in 1995.

  • Wine for the Confused, a movie by John Cleese was released in 2004.

March 1st - This Date in Wine History

Sviatoslav from_Solntsev_book.jpg

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. 

  • Sviatoslav I of Kiev died in March of 972.  The date is unknown.  This is unusual for this calendar but his story was too good not to tell.  He was killed by Pecheneg Khan Kurya who turned his skull into a drinking cup. Kurya and his wife drank from the skull and prayed for a son as brave as the cup’s owner.  
  • Ohio was admitted to the Union in 1803.  It is home to the Grand River Valley, Isle St. George, Lake Erie, Loramie Creek and Ohio River Valley.
  • John Adlum who is considered the father of American viticulture and promoter and possible developer of the Catawba grape died in 1836.  He also the owner of a farm called, The Vineyard in Georgetown.
  • Nebraska was admitted to the union in 1867.  It has been home to bonded wineries since 1994.
  • The Alsace AOC was established in 1984.
  • It is Baba Marta Day in Bulgaria.  She is the wife or sister of January and February (represented as long-horned beetles) who is angry with them because they are drunk on wine.  Her anger is represented by the breaking of the weather and return of Spring.
  • The French have a saying, « Qui taille sa vigne à la Saint-Aubin, aura de gros raisins. » or “He who prunes his vines on St. Aubin’s day will get big grapes”.

October 21st - This Date in Wine History

George_Plantagenet,_Duke_of_Clarence.jpg

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.

  • George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence was born in 1449.  He was accused of plotting his brother Edward IV and was executed in the Tower of London by being drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine.
  • Horatio Nelson, Lord Admiral of the British Navy and the Hero of Trafalgar died in 1805. His body was placed in cask of brandy, mixed with camphor and myrrh and later transferred to a lead coffin filled with spirits of wine.
  • Hermann Müller, a Swiss botanist and oenologist created the Müller-Thurgau varietal in 1882 was born in 1850.
  • Ohio's Grand River Valley AVA was designated in 1983.
  • New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania Lake Erie AVA was designated in 1983.
  • California's Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Russian River Valley AVA were designated in 1983.
  • Verbicaro DOC was created in 1995.
  • Wine for the Confused, a movie by John Cleese was released in 2004.