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Wine
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8000 BC |
Wine was produced in the region known as Colchis (later Georgia) as early as this time. Links: Georgia, Wine 
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7000 BC |
Scientists in 2004 found the earliest evidence of winemaking from pottery shards dating from 7,000 BC in northern China. Links: China, Wine, HistoryBC
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5400 BC 5000 BC |
Archeologists have determined that wine was made in villages in Iran's remote Zagros Mountains about this time. Wine jars were dug up near the ruined village called Hajii Firuz Tepe and analyzed to have contained a retsina type of wine. Links: Iran, Wine
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3250 BC |
King Scorpion ruled Upper (southern) Egypt. Evidence of wine was found in his tomb and scientists believed it was produced in Jordan and transported by donkey and boat to Egypt. Links: Egypt, Jordan, Wine
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1600 BC |
Art pieces attributed to the Xia Dynasty of China before the 16th century are on exhibit at the Shanghai Museum. These include an ax blade, a three legged food vessel, and 3 wine vessels. Links: China, Wine, HistoryBC
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1325 BC |
Tutankhamen died at age 19. It was later suspected that the young prince was killed on his was to Egypt under the orders of Ay or Horemhab. Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen. In 2005 a CT scan indicated that Tut was not murdered by a blow to the head, nor was his chest crushed in an accident. His death remained a mystery. Links: Egypt, Wine
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1381 |
England’s King Richard II issued a grant specifying tolls from every ship entering London, including "two roundlets of wyne" for any galley passing the Tower. Links: Britain, Wine
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1385 |
In Italy Giovanni di Pietro Antinori branched from his family’s lucrative silk and wool business to join the Florentine wine makers guild. By 2008 the family business had vineyards in Hungary, Chile and California’s Napa Valley. Links: Italy, Wine
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1577 |
Francisco Hernandez, Spanish explorer traveling through Mexico’s highlands, noted the many uses of the maguey (agave) plant. He cited it as a useful fuel, a material for cloth and ropes, with sap used to make vinegar and wine. Links: Spain, Mexico, Food, Wine, Explorer
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1639 |
The Hugel company began producing wine in the Alsatian village of Riquewihr. Links: France, Wine
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1663 Apr 10 |
Samuel Pepys, London-based diarist, noted that he had enjoyed a French wine called Ho Bryan at the Royal Oak Tavern. This same year the Pontacs, a top wine-making family in Bordeaux, founded a fashionable London restaurant called Pontack’s Head. Ho Bryan later came to be called Chateau Haut Brion. Links: Britain, France, Writer, Wine
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1717 Apr 26 |
Pirate Black Sam Bellamy died along with 143 others when their ship, the Whydah, sank off of Wellfleet, Cape Cod. 2 men on the Whydah survived as did 7 others aboard the Mary Anne, a smaller ship loaded with Madeira wine. The slave ship Whydah had just been captured by Bellamy in February as it left Ouidau, Benin, with a load of sugar and indigo as well as chests of silver and gold. 6 or the 9 survivors were later hanged for piracy in Boston. In 1984 the wreck of the ship was discovered by Barry Clifford. Links: Benin, Massachusetts, Wine, Pirates, Slavery
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1729 |
Ruinart, a French Champagne house, was founded. In 2006 it remained the oldest Champagne house in the world. Links: France, Wine
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1787 |
Thomas Jefferson toured Bordeaux while serving as US ambassador to France. He purchased cases Haut-Brion, d’Yquiem, and Margaux for himself and George Washington. Links: USA, France, Wine, JeffersonT
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1825 |
The Hudson’s Bay Company planted grapes at Fort Vancouver (Washington State). Links: USA, Wine, Washington
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1839 |
Cyrus Redding (1785-1870), English wine merchant and author, published “Every Man His Own Butler.” This included the statement: “claret fro a bishop, port for a rector, currant for a curate and gin for the clerk.” Links: Britain, Wine, Books
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1852 |
Almaden Vineyards was begun by Etienne Thee, an émigré from France, who settled near Los Gatos, Ca. Links: California, Wine, SF Bay Area
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1860 |
Britain forswore most import duties. Britain and France signed a free-trade treaty, which drastically reduced the duty on French wines. Links: Britain, France, Wine
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1861 |
Britain introduced the Single Bottle Act allowing grocers to sell wine by the bottle. Links: Britain, Wine
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1862 |
In Napa Valley, Ca., Jacob Schram (1826-1905) founded the Schramsberg Winery. He used Chinese laborers to clear the forests, plant the vineyards and dig the caves to store his wine. In 1965 Jack and Jamie Davies purchased the winery. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1866 Jul 29 |
Barbe-Nicole Clicquot (b.1777), head of the Clicquot champagne business, died. She was widowed at age 27 and transformed her husbands struggling business into one of the great champagne houses of France. In 2008 Tilar J. Mazzeo authored “The Widow Clicquot.” Links: France, Wine, Biography
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1871 |
In southern California vineyards were planted at the Sierra Madre Winery at Lamanda Park. In 1885 Albert Brigdon and J.F. Clark built a winery there and proceeded to win numerous awards including a gold medal in Paris in 1900. The winery close in 1923. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1874 |
King David Kalakaua built the Kalakaua Cottage on Maui, Hawaii. It later became the tasting room for Tedeschi Vineyards. Links: Wine, Hawaii
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1879 |
Gustave Niebaum, a Finnish sea captain, founded the Inglenook Winery near Ruther-ford in the Napa Valley of California. Niebaum had made a fortune in the Alaskan fur trade. His Inglenook Chateau, designed by Hamden McIntyre, opened in 1887. The winery was later sold in pieces to movie director, Francis Ford Coppola, who bought a large part in 1975 and the rest of it in 1994-95. In 1994 Constellation Brands acquired Inglenook Vineyards in the Central Val-ley and in 2008 sold the winery to the Wine Group of San Francisco along with Almaden Vine-yards in a deal valued at $134 million. Links: California, Wine, M&A
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1881 1882 |
Dr. Muller of Germany was said to be working at the Swiss Geisenheim viticultural station when he made the crossing that joined the late-ripening Riesling and the early-ripening and prolific Silvaner. The grape became know as Muller-Thurgau. Müller-Thurgau entered the well-kept records of Germany's vineyards in 1921, but it was not until a major symposium on the crossing was held at Alzey in 1938 that it gained any widespread acceptance. Links: Germany, Switzerland, Wine
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1881 |
The story of California’s Asti Winery began as Italian Swiss Colony when Italian immigrant Andrea Sbarboro invited anybody of Italian or Swiss descent to join him and work on land at Asti in northern California to produce wine and share profits. Their first vintage in 1886 was called Tipo Chianti. In 2004 Jack Florence authored “Legacy of a Village: The Italian Swiss Colony Winery and People of Asti, California.” Links: USA, California, Wine, Biography
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1883 |
Chile’s Concha y Toro (Shell & Bull) wineries were founded by Don Melchor with vines brought from France. Links: Chile, France, Wine
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1885 |
In California the Far Niente winery was built in Napa Valley. In 2008 it was among the a maverick group of local wineries to embrace solar power. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1888 |
In Chicago Louis Glunz set up shop as a wine, beer and spirits merchant at Wells and Division streets. By 2009 the Louis Glunz Beer company represented Chicago-land consumers with the largest portfolio of Micro, Specialty and Import Beers with 665 brands and 172 breweries worldwide. Links: USA, Chicago, Wine, Beer
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1891 |
Montaudon, a French champagne maker, began operations. In 2008 it was acquired by LVMH, a luxury goods conglomerate. Links: France, Wine
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1898 |
Frederick Hess, publisher of the German-language California Democrat, built a stone winery on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. He named it La Jota Vineyard after Rancho la Jota, the Spanish land grant on which it was situated. Links: California, Wine
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1900 |
Frenchman Georges de Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard near Rutherford in Napa Valley Ca. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1908 |
Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley inked a long term contract to provide altar wine to the catholic archdiocese of San Francisco. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1927 |
French law set the boundaries of the country’s Champagne region. Links: France, Wine
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1934 |
Mario Gemello (1916-2005) helped his father found Gemello Winery in Mountain View, Ca. In 1982 he sold it to his niece, who renamed it Obester Winery and moved to half Moon Bay. The original winery on El Camino was replaced by an apartment and retail complex called Gemello Village. Links: California, Wine, SF Bay Area
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1938 |
Georges de Latour, owner of Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley, Ca., hired French-trained enologist Andre Tchelistcheff to oversee the maturation of his Private Reserve. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1940 |
Georges de Latour, owner of Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley, Ca., died. BV Burgundy was renamed by his wife and released as Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, California’s first private reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1943 |
In California Cesare Mondavi purchased the Charles Krug winery in Napa Valley and began making wine with his sons Robert and Peter. Robert Mondavi (1913-2008) persuaded his parents to buy Charles Krug Winery. Robert became the salesman and his brother Peter the winemaker. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1955 |
Cistercian-Trappist monks purchased the old Stanford Vina Ranch on the Feather River north of Marysville, Ca. They later acquired stones from the 12th century Santa Maria de Ovila monastery, originally purchased by William Randolph Hearst, and planned a reconstruction at the ranch. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1957 |
The Italian Swiss Colony winery at Asti, Ca., was deemed a state historical landmark. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1960 Feb 9 |
The Angelo Petri, the world’s largest wine tanker, foundered outside the Golden Gate. It carried a capacity load of 2,383,000 gallons of wine and vegetable oil. In 1946 the vessel had broken in two near Honolulu. Links: Wine, SF Bay Area, Ship
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1961 |
Rodney Strong (d.2006), dancer-turned winemaker, purchased a 160-acre vineyard in Healdsburg, Ca. He started Sonoma Vineyards and later renamed it Rodney Strong Vineyards. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1965 |
David Lett (d.2008 at 69) began Eyrie Vineyards in the Dundee Hills of Oregon with some 3,000 baby vines of the Pinot Noir grape. His 1975 vintage ranked among the top 10 at a prestigious Paris tasting in 1979. Links: USA, Wine, Oregon
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1966 |
Robert Mondavi and his son Michael started the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, the first new winery in California since Prohibition. Mondavi had left the Charles Krug Winery in 1965 following a dispute with relatives. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1968 |
Al Brounstein (d.2006 at 86) purchased 80 acres on Diamond Mountain in Napa, Ca., for a little over $100,000. He began developing a vineyard and later admitted to smuggling cuttings from Bordeaux, France, by way of Tijuana. His first crop from Diamond Creek Vineyards was produced in 1972. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1968 |
Robert Mondavi made a dry wine from Sauvignon Blanc and renamed it Fume Blanc. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1969 |
Family owners sold California’s Beaulieu Vineyards to Heublein Inc. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1969 |
Filippo Casella began making wine in Australia after having moved from Italy. Casella Wines introduced their Yellow Tail brand in 2001. Links: Australia, Wine
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1970 |
Warren Winiarski and investors purchased an orchard next to Nathan Fay’s vineyard in Napa County, Ca., and began planting what would become Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. His 1973 grapes became the Cabernet Sauvignon that won the famous 1976 tasting in Paris. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1972 Feb 21 |
Pres. Nixon began his visit to China as he and his wife arrived in Shanghai. He was the 1st US president to visit a country not diplomatically recognized by the US. He brought along a bottle of Schramsberg sparkling wine from California. Links: USA, China, Wine, NixonR
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1972 |
Kermit Lynch opened Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley, Ca. He focused on importing small-production French wines. In 2005 the French government announced that he would be awarded the insignia of Chevalier de la Legion d’Honeur. Links: USA, France, Wine, SF Bay Area
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1973 |
Count Robert Jean de Vogue, French chairman of Moet-Hennessey, purchased 350 acres in Yountville for his new winery that debuted as Domaine Chandon in 1977. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1973 |
French wines were re-ranked according to taste, rather than price, and Mouton Rothschild was elevated to the first rank. Links: France, Wine
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1973 |
Montana Wines introduced grapevines to the Marlborough region of New Zealand pushing out the garlic that had been the area’s hallmark crop. Links: New Zealand, Wine
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1974 |
Louis M. Martini (79), California vintner died. His son, Louis P. Martini (d.1998), took over the vineyards and developed Merlot wine. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1974 |
Dr. Charles Lieber at the VA Medical Center in the Bronx, NY, fed alcohol to baboons along with a nutritionally complete diet. He found that the animals developed every stage of human alcoholic liver disease. Links: USA, NYC, Medical, Wine, Liquor, Primates
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1975 |
It was a good year for Burgundy wines made from the Pinot Noir grapes of Oregon. In 1979 David Lett’s vintage from this year ranked among the top 10 at a prestigious Paris tasting. Lett (d.2008 at 69) had introduced Pinot Noir to Oregon in 1965. Links: USA, Wine, Oregon
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1975 |
Film director Francis Ford Coppola purchased part of the Inglenook Winery in Napa County, Ca. He purchased the rest in 1995. Links: USA, California, Wine
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1976 May 24 |
In France 2 California wines won a tasting event over several French classics for the 1st time. Stephen Spurrier, English owner of a wine shop and wine school in Paris, held a competition tasting of French and American wines. The best white wine was a 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena. The best red wine was a 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Winemaker Miljenko Grgich created the Napa Chardonnay that beat French wines in the legendary Paris Tasting. In 2005 George M. Taber authored “Judgement of Paris,” an account of the 1976 tasting. Links: USA, France, California, Wine
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1976 |
Winemaker Alfred Fromm (d.1998 at 93) founded the Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning at the Univ. of SF. Links: USA, SF, Wine
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