February 26

February 26, 1859: Romeo Bragato was born. He developed the wine industry of New Zealand and Australia, introducing new varieties of grapes to both countries.

February 26, 1950: Jonathan Cain was born. He is best known as the keyboardist and rhythm guitarist for Journey, but he is also a wine connoisseur and is the owner of Finale Wines. The winery was launched in 2007 through collaboration with the winemaker Dennis De La Montanya.

February 26, 1999: Viré-Clessé AOC was certified. This French appellation only allows for the growth of Chardonnay grapes.

February 26, 2001: Fair Play AVA was established on this day. It is located in El Dorado County, encompassing 350 acres of planted vineyards. The appellation experiences fairly intense temperatures and cool breezes at night. Although Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon also thrive here, Zinfandel is the region’s dominant grape variety.

February 26, 2002: the first Pinot Noir Summit was held sponsored by the Affairs of the Vines. A varied expert tasting panel evaluates more than 250 North American Pinot Noirs. A blind tasting of the top 30 wines is then conducted at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California. The Pinot Noirs chosen as the tasting panel’s and the event’s attendees’ favorites receive awards. There are seminars on Pinot Noir and winemaker dinners available.

For more dates in wine history, click here.

 

Header image: DXR — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).