October 19, 1453: On this day, English-occupied Bordeaux surrendered to Charles VII, ending the Hundred Years’ War, albeit mostly in name, as hostilities did not cease. The war had a significant impact on the production and trade of wine, with Bordeaux exports at nearly 1/10 the volume they were in the early 1300s. The city was the second-to-last holdout the English had on French soil, besides Calais.

October 19, 1627: On this day, the historical development of Corvina wines began. Corvina is combined with many different grapes to generate the light red regional wines Bardolino and Valpolicella with a gentle fruity taste with undertones of almond.

October 19, 2018: On this day, SOMM 3 was released. The third film in the SOMM documentary series, the film follows two wine tastings, one in New York, and one in Paris. The participants are a who’s-who of modern wine-making and journalism, including Steven Spurrier and Jancis Robinson. The framing of the film emphasizes the creative, personal, and social foundation on which wine is most satisfyingly experienced. For more on Steven Spurrier, click here; for more on Jancis Robinson, see our other posts.

October 19, 2021: On this day, Wine: A Tasting Course from Grape to Glass, authored by Marnie Old, was published. This book is designed as a complete wine tasting course for the reader to become an expert in wine appreciation. Its colorful content includes thematic exercises, advice, pairing tips, wine-based curiosities, myths of wine history, and more.

For more dates in wine history, click here.