October 4, 1854: On this day, Sicilian Wine by Bayard Taylor was published. “Sicilian Wine,” by Bayard Taylor, is a tribute to the Italian island’s “crimson” reds.

October 4, 1854: On this day, California State Fair was held for the first time. A big part of the California State Fair, which happens every year in Sacramento, the state capital, is the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. The competition honors California wines based on where they come from and how they are made. It has been going on since the 1850s, when the fair was started to show how great the state was for farming.

October 4, 1924: On this day, André Lurton, a French winemaker and winery owner, was born in the hamlet of Grézillac in the South West of France. He founded a prestigious wine making company in Bordeaux, titled after his own family name. He also held a pivotal role in creating and/or running multiple organizations overseeing and governing the creation of wine in France, Bordeaux in particular. He passed away in 2019.

October 4, 1958: Beginning this day in Australia, Tulloch started the first clonal selection program in the Barossa Valley in 1958 on Shiraz and other types. The first Winegrape varieties that came from this effort were released to the industry in the 1970s.

October 4, 1983: Fiddletown AVA was established in Amador County. The first vignerons settled here in the 1850s during the Gold Rush. Old-grown Rhone varieties including Grenache, Syrah, and Zinfandel are popular in the AVA. The AVA boasts low-yielding vines planted at fairly elevated heights than most vineyards in Amador County, leading to the production of concentrated fruit wines.

October 4, 1984: Paso Robles AVA was established. It is located in San Luis Obispo County, comprising 11 sub-appellations. Since its establishment, winemaking has flourished, leading to the establishment of over 200 bonded wineries. Its key grapes include Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rhone blends, and Cal-Italians.

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