November 20, 1818: Pedro Sainsevain was born in Beguey, France. A carpenter and entrepreneur, he made history in California by being one of the earliest producers of sparkling wine, though it was not very successful. He was later called upon to be a signer of the California Constitution.

November 20, 1932: Sir James Gilbert Hardy OBE AASA was born. In addition to his decorated yachting career (which led to him being knighted by the British crown and inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame), Hardy worked for his family’s company, at the time called Thomas Hardy and Sons, now Accolade Wines. He is also an active member of the Freemasons since 1962.

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Hero image: Rexness from Melbourne, Australia / CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.