February 14

February 14, 250: St Tryphon of Campsada, patron saint of gardeners and winegrowers, was martyred during the Decian persecution; his feast falls on 1 February (Julian), corresponding to 14 February in the civil calendar.

February 14, 1387: King John I of Portugal wed Philippa of Lancaster, a descendant of John of Gaunt, the first Duke of Lancaster. The long-standing relationship between Portugal and England was always built on the idea of defending each nation’s political and economic interests regarding its neighbors. The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance was consummated by the marriage. Before this, the alliance provided logistical support, such as the provision of crossbows, to ensure Portugal’s decisive victory in the Battle of Aljubarrota in the year 1385. This victory was legally recognized by the Treaty of Windsor in 1386 and was an important part of the wine trade between the two nations.

February 14, 1763: John James Dufour was born in Switzerland. He was raised in a district involved with winemaking and had a passion for the industry from an early age. When Dufour was 33 years old, he went to America with hopes of growing wine on the continent. After searching through many states, he decided on Kentucky for its climate and founded his First Vineyard in 1799, which kick-started the nascent wine-making industry in the state.

February 14, 1972: Drew McQueen Bledsoe was born. He is a retired American football quarterback who was the face of the New England Patriots for nearly a decade of his 14-season career. He founded Doubleback Winery post-retirement, in 2007. The winery ran with collaboration from Chris Figgins until 2014, and Josh McDaniels afterwards.

February 14, 1973: Daizenji temple grounds were designated a National Historic Site. The Daizenji Temple is located in Katsunuma, close to Kofu. Because grape production is said to have begun here in the 8th century, just before the temple was built, it is known informally as the “grape temple”. Several amazing items can be found on the property, notably the stunning main hall. Offerings include vines and wine bottles, and the head monk serves as the honorary president of a cooperative vineyard. Daizenji is located in the Yamanashi region, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Tokyo, which is well-known for being the birthplace of Mount Fuji and, more recently, for being the best place in Japan to make wine. The Buddha of medicine, also known as Yakushi Nyorai in Japanese, is supposed to have appeared to a famous Japanese Buddhist monk and traveler by the name of Gyoki there in 718 AD in a dream.

February 14, 1977: François Perrodo was born. He is a French billionaire, and aside from running his family’s company Perenco, he owned Château Labegorce.

For more dates in wine history, click here.

Header image: Yiwenli0203 — via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).