December 30, 1983: Howell Mountain AVA was established, making it one of the earliest appellations in Napa Valley. At 600–2600 feet above sea level, the AVA is situated. It is therefore above the fog line and free from fog. Instead, the region gets plenty of sunlight, which is seen in the characteristics of its primary grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Zinfandel. The AVA was well-known for producing Zinfandel wine before Prohibition. The 600 acres of grapes grown in the appellation have volcanic soils. Due to its altitude, the appellation receives cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean compared to high temperatures at the valley’s base.

December 30, 1984: On this day, LeBron James was born. He is a professional basketball player whose name is frequently seen in discussions regarding the greatest players of all time. James is also reportedly a wine connoisseur and drinks a glass of wine a day.

December 30, 2009: On this day, two prominent figures in Chile’s wine business, Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray decided to realize their long-held aim of making premium wines in Chile in the late 1980s. The situation of the nation’s wine business was very different from what it is today. Indifferent wines were the outcome of the prevalent use of antiquated methods and mindsets. Innovating and producing the wines they knew could be made in Chile’s heavenly climate and soils was something Aurelio and Douglas intended to do as the founding partners of Montes Wines. Aurelio has long been known as a highly-skilled oenologist who possesses both excellent winemaking abilities and astute business sense. One of Chile’s earliest vintners, he traveled abroad to promote his wines. When Montes started, it was in response to a particular need: Chile was not generally producing wines of a high enough caliber to meet global demand. Montes saw this need among consumers and met it by producing premium wines.

For more dates in wine history, click here.