January 20th - 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.

• Enoch L. Johnson was born in 1883.  He was an Atlantic City political and crime boss who was quoted as saying, “We have whisky, wine, women, song and slot machines. I won't deny it and I won't apologize for it. If the majority of the people didn't want them they wouldn't be profitable and they would not exist. The fact that they do exist proves to me that the people want them.”  He was fictionalized in Boardwalk Empire as the character, Nucky Thompson.

• Baron Philippe de Rothschild died in 1988.

• California's San Francisco Bay AVA was designated in 1999.

• The owner of Trump Winery, Donald J. Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States in 2017.

April 13th - 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. 

• Krum, Khan of Bulgaria died in 814.  He used the skull of the Byzantine Emperor as a wine cup.
• Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and wine lover was born in Virgina in 1743.
• The first elephant in America was brought from India in 1796.  It was fed rice, hay and stray, “all kinds of wine and spiritous liquors”  it could also draw a cork from a bottle in its trunk. It was a sad existence.
• Baron Philippe de Rothschild was born in 1902.
• "Red Red Wine" written and performed by Neil Diamond was released in 1968 it was and later covered by UB40.

March 22nd - 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 Illinois General Assembly created rules requiring every county to regulate weights and measures including for a wine measure.
• George W. Roosevelt, the US Ambassador to France reports on new French laws about the adulteration of wines in 1883.
• Viticulture Committee of the Region of Vinho Verde was created in 1929.
• Franklin Roosevelt signed The Cullen-Harrison Act to amend the Volstead Act that allowed the sale and taxation of low alcohol beers and wines in 1933.
• Happy National Ag Week. Remember, without ag, there is no wine!

March 16th - 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. 

• Traditional date for Bacchanlia.
• Johann Rudolf Glauber died in 1670.  He was a German-Dutch alchemist who wrote about improvements in wine making and is considered an early chemist or chemical engineer.
• In 1818, President James Monroe signed a bill set apart and dispose of public lands for the encouragement and cultivation of “the vine and olive”.  The documents were sent to Treasury Secretary, William H. Crawford.  The land was in Alabama (it didn’t work).
• The 1872 Medical Times and Gazette describes a new French patent medicine made of quinine, cacao and iron mixed with Malaga wine as a tonic for blighted children.  Quinine wines are still sold as aperitifs (Byrrh, for example).
• Happy Ag Appreciation Week  Remember, without ag, there is  no wine!

February 22nd - 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. 

• Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as Rashi, was born in 1040 in Troyes, France.  The son of a poor winemaker, legend says that his father was visited by the prophet Elijah after throwing a precious jewel into the sea and was told he would have a son “who would illuminate the world with his Torah knowledge”.
• George Washington was born in 1732.  He was a member of the Virginia’s House of Burgesses from 1758-1765.  He plied the voters with 170 gallons of rice punch, beer, wine, hard cider and brandy.
• According to a rule passed in 1792 of the St. Dunstan's Club in London, Any member elected to the position within the club was required to buy a bottle of Port for the other members to share.
• Actor Kyle MacLachlan was born in 1959.  He owns Pursued by Bear Wine in Columbia Valley.
• Drew Barrymore was born in 1975.  She is a partner in the Carmel Road Winery.

January 20th - 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.

• Enoch L. Johnson was born in 1883.  He was an Atlantic City political and crime boss who was quoted as saying, “We have whisky, wine, women, song and slot machines. I won't deny it and I won't apologize for it. If the majority of the people didn't want them they wouldn't be profitable and they would not exist. The fact that they do exist proves to me that the people want them.”  He was fictionalized in Boardwalk Empire as the character, Nucky Thompson.
• Baron Philippe de Rothschild died in 1988.
• California's San Francisco Bay AVA was designated in 1999.
• The owner of Trump Winery, Donald J. Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States in 2017.

January 4th - 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. 

• Johann Menge, originally of Steinau, Germany, explored Australia's Barossa Valley and extolled its potential for viticulture was born in 1788.  He is also thought to have discovered the first opal in Australia.
• Thomas Jefferson wrote to John F. Oliveira Fernandes, a physician and merchant from Norfolk, Virginia in 1805 regarding an order of Portuguese wine.
• California's Arroyo Grande Valley AVA was designated in 1990.

December 28th - 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 Cape of Good Hope passed laws respecting the sale of wines in 1762.
• Iowa was admitted as a state in 1846.  It is home to the Loess Hills District and Upper Mississippi River Valley viticultural areas.
• Woodrow Wilson was born in 1856.  He was President at the beginning of Prohibition, which restricted the SALE of alcohol but not the consumption.  At the end of his term as president, Wilson had his wine collection moved to his new residence.
• California's Shenandoah Valley AVA was designated in 1982.
• Virginia's Shenandoah Valley AVA was designated in 1982.

December 14th - 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.

• George Washington died in 1799.  He was a member of the Virginia’s House of Burgesses from 1758-1765.  He plied the voters with 170 gallons of rice punch, beer, wine, hard cider and brandy.
• Pierre-Cécile Puvis de Chavannes the French painter was born in 1824.  He is known for his work, The Wine Press.
• ‘I heard it Through the Grapevine’ by Marvin Gaye was #1 on the charts in 1968.
• Spain's Conca de Barberá DO was created in 1989.
• Chile's Declaration of Appellations was approved in 1994.
• Oregon's Applegate Valley AVA was designated in 2000.

October 28th - 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.

• Samuel Pepys reported in his diary that today in 1666 that he went to visit his mistress, Mrs. Martin and brought her and her friends the widow Burroughs and Doll a bottle of wine and “did tumble them all the afternoon as I pleased”.
• In 1764, the Count de Guerchy tried to poison the Chevalier d'Eon by poisoning his wine with opium. The Chevalier was a French diplomat, spy, soldier and Freemason who lived the first half of her life as a man and the second half as a woman.
• Woodrow Wilson’s veto of the Volstead Act was overridden in 1919.  Volstead Act prohibited the sale and consumption of Alcoholic beverages (BOOO).

October 27th - 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 USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) was christened in 1797 with a bottle of Madeira.
• Woodrow Wilson vetoed the Volstead Act in 1919.  Volstead Act prohibited the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages (BOOO).
• California's Mendocino Ridge AVA was designated in 1997.

October 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.

• Meditrinalia, the Roman festival of the new wine was celebrated.
• In 1794 this would be the 20th day of the Vendémiaire month on the French Revolutionary Calendar. This day was represented by the Pressoir, or wine press. The month was the grape harvesting month.
• Thomas Jefferson exchanged correspondence with William Jarvis regarding a shipment of wine from Portugal in 1805.

July 24th - 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.

• Samuel Pepys met and went out with the children Vice Admiral Sir George Carteret and were out so late they were unable to get a ferryboat back to the house, so they slept in a coach on the Isle of Dogs until one was available,  feasted on wine and snacks then headed home.
• The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction in 1824 reported on the Palace of the King of the Sandwich Islands, including the quote:

“But where to find that happiest spot below,
who can direct, when all pretend to know?
The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone
Boldly proclaims that happiest spot his own:
Extols the treasures of his stormy seas,
And his long nights of revelry and ease.
The naked negro, panting at the line,
Boasts of his golden sands and palmy wine, -
Basks in the glare, or stems the tepid wave,
And thanks his gods for all the good they gave.”

”

— Oliver Goldsmith - The Traveller

• President McKinley entered into a treaty with the King of Portugal to reduce tariffs on wine in 1897.

July 4th - 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.

• Founding father's toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a glass (or more) or Madeira
• Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and wine lover died in 1826.  John Adams did as well but he didn't supply the government with wine from his own collection.
• It is the feast day of Blessed Catherine Jarrige.  She helped priests escape the French Revolution providing vestments, wine and wafers for mass.  She also disguised a priest as a peasant and poured wine on him to make it look like he was drunk.  When encountering a soldier, she began to berate her “husband” the soldier said, “Citizen if I had a wife like that I’d drown her in the nearest river” to which the priest responded, “Citizen so would I!”
• Happy 4th of July from Qorkz!