February 28, 1877: On this day, André Simon was born in France. He was a wine trader, gourmand, and prolific wine writer who produced works exploring the history of the wine trade between French and English markets. He passed away on September 5th, 1970.

February 28, 1940: Mario Andretti was born. He is not only a highly decorated former race car driver, but also a co-founder of the Tuscan themed Andretti Winery with Joe Antonini in Napa Valley, California.

February 28, 2002: Rockpile AVA was legally recognized. Rockpile is located north of Dry Creek Valley, stretching west of Sonoma Lake to Mendocino County. The AVA is famous for wine with great concentration and balance. Rockpile is located far north of the Sonoma region, so it is not affected by the fogs and breezes from the Pacific Ocean. As a result, it experiences warmer temperatures than most of the region’s appellations. Besides, it is highly elevated (up to 1900 feet) and boasts steep slopes, rocky soils, and long days of exposure to sunlight. The warm temperatures hasten the ripening and add to the richness.

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