This Day in Wine History is a website for history and wine lovers alike. If you enjoy pairing world-class wine with award-winning documentaries, then this site is for you! Our articles are broken into DAYS (this day in wine history for all 365 days!), ARTICLES and IN-DEPTH, which focuses on deeper research, academic citations, and longer essays for the true history lover. Enjoy the latest articles from our talented writers from all over the world.
Ribera del Duero: History of Spain’s Powerhouse Red Region
Vineyards in Ribera del Duero, Spain By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Board • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and cross-referenced against primary and scholarly […]
Rioja Wine: History of Spain’s Most Famous Red
Vineyards near Brinas and Haro in Rioja Alta, Spain. By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Board • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and cross-referenced against […]
Languedoc Wine: History of France’s Oldest & Largest Vineyard
Photo: Christian Ferrer / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Board • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and cross-referenced […]
Beaujolais Wine: History of Gamay, the Crus & Beaujolais Nouveau
Photo: Geoff Wong / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 2.0 By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Board • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and cross-referenced […]
Sicilian Wine: History of Marsala, Mount Etna & Nero d’Avola
An original illustrated map of Sicily — one of a series of hand-illustrated regional maps created for This Day in Wine History. By the This […]
Veneto Wine: History of Prosecco, Amarone & the Wines of Verona
Valpolicella vineyards in the Veneto, northern Italy. By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Team • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and cross-referenced against primary and […]
Tuscan Wine: History of Chianti, Brunello & the Super Tuscans
Photo: Ray in Manila / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 2.0 By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Team • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and […]
Rhône Wine: History of the Rhône Valley, from the Romans to the Popes
By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Team • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and cross-referenced against primary and scholarly sources. Rhône Valley wine is where […]
The Impact of Conflict on Wine Through the Ages
The Champagne front in 1914. Few wine regions have paid a higher price in war — or shown more resilience. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This […]
National Wine Day
National Wine Day, 25 May, is a cheerful excuse to raise a glass to one of the world’s oldest drinks. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This […]
Wine and the Lost Generation in 1920s Paris
Gertrude Stein, who told the young Hemingway “you are all a lost generation,” in Paris. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This Day in Wine History Editorial […]
Nero d’Avola: Sicily’s Great Red Grape
By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Board • ✓ Researched, fact-checked, and cross-referenced against primary and scholarly sources. Nero d'Avola is the great […]
A Vineyard of Labor: Mission Wine and the Coerced Labor of Native Americans
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, once so productive it was called the mother of California’s vineyards. Via Wikimedia Commons.By Ken Wytsma✓ Researched, fact-checked & verifiedAugust 202613 […]
The story of Fagan stealing wine from Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, scene of one of the strangest security breaches in royal history — one that began with a bottle of wine. Via Wikimedia Commons.By […]
The Connection Between Shakespeare and Wine
The Chandos portrait, believed to depict Shakespeare, in whose plays wine flows freely. Via Wikimedia Commons.By Ken Wytsma✓ Researched, fact-checked & verifiedAugust 202611 min readWine […]
Gosset: The Oldest Wine House in Champagne
The historic slopes around Aÿ, where the house of Gosset was founded in 1584. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Team✓ […]
Wine and the Nazi Occupation of France
The deep chalk cellars of Champagne — storehouse, air-raid shelter and hiding place during the occupation. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This Day in Wine History […]
The Relationship Between Shiraz Wine & Iran
A relief at Persepolis. Ancient Persia was one of the great cradles of wine. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Team✓ […]
The Poison in the Wine: Lead, Roman Wine and the Fall of Rome
A Roman banquet from Pompeii. Wine was central to Roman life — and, some argue, to a hidden epidemic of lead poisoning. Via Wikimedia Commons.By […]
The Body and Blood: Wine and the Emergence of Christianity
The Marriage at Cana, where the Gospel of John places the first miracle of Jesus — turning water into wine. James Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons.By […]
Slavery and the History of Wine
Groot Constantia, the Cape’s oldest wine estate. Its wines — and its wealth — rested on the labour of enslaved people. Via Wikimedia Commons.By Ken […]
Wine and the Historic Philistines
Tell es-Safi, identified with the Philistine city of Gath, where excavations have uncovered evidence of large-scale winemaking. Via Wikimedia Commons.By Ken Wytsma✓ Researched, fact-checked & […]
Wine and Taxation in Ancien Régime France
Joseph Vernet’s Port of Bordeaux. Wine was among the most heavily taxed goods in Bourbon France. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This Day in Wine History […]
Wine and the Dutch Merchant Fleet in Early Modern Europe
A Dutch harbour of the Golden Age, when the Republic’s fleets carried much of Europe’s wine. Via Wikimedia Commons.By Ken Wytsma✓ Researched, fact-checked & verifiedAugust […]
The Carolingian Renaissance in Viticulture: Charle-magne and Wine
The hill of Corton, whose white-wine slopes still carry Charlemagne’s name. Via Wikimedia Commons.By the This Day in Wine History Editorial Team✓ Researched, fact-checked & […]
