October 1347: In this month, the Black Death arrived in Europe. When 12 Black Sea ships berthed at the Messina port in Sicily, the disease sailed into Europe. The vast majority of the crew members on board the ships were dead, and those who were still living were gravely sick and covered with boils that erupted with blood and pus. This horrible discovery was revealed to the crowd of people assembled on the docks. The plague would then affect the European wine industry in a significant way. After the plague, vineyards became overgrown.

October 1973: In this month the first oil crisis emerged. Bordeaux experienced a challenging time during the economic troubles of the 1970s, which followed the 1973 oil crisis. A Bordeaux business crisis happened at the same time as several scandals. As were the vintages of 1973 and 1974, the 1972 vintage had been overvalued. Additionally, the négociants were left with pricey wine that they were unable to sell when the market crashed.

October 1984: Sonoita AVA was establishedin Southern Arizona, which covers an area in extreme west-central Cochise, northeastern Santa Cruz, and extreme southeastern Pima. The AVA covers around 319 square miles.

October 2012: On this month, Antinori Nel Chianti Classico was founded. Antinori nel Chianti Classico is a homage to the Antinori family, honoring the family’s historical links to the Chianti Classico area. Antinori nel Chianti Classico is a stunning contemporary sculptural building that embodies the winery’s imprint on the history and culture of Italy. Antinori is one of the most prestigious (if not the most prestigious) winemakers in the world.

October 2012: This month, the book Wine Grapes: A Comprehensive Guide to 1,368 Vine Species, their Origins, and Flavors wasreleased. Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, and Dr. José Vouillamoz provide 1,368 grape varietals in their book, along with “their origins, how they grow, where they are planted, how their wines taste, and previously unknown information on how they are connected” (the book’s website). All grape varieties are organized alphabetically. For more on Jancis Robinson, see our other posts.

October 2014: In this day, 114 bottles of Burgundy set a new record for the most expensive lot of wine ever sold when they were purchased at an auction in Hong Kong for a total of HK$12,556,250, which is equivalent to £1 million or $1.6 million.

October 2014: Twenty men were held in France on suspicion of stealing more than a million euros ($1.35 million) worth of Bordeaux wine following a massive police operation in both the Paris region and the nation’s southwest. Superior wines have a long history of being produced in Bordeaux. A great Bordeaux bottle may readily be purchased for around 1,000 euros ($1,300), however older, rarer vintages command far higher prices. Bordeaux is home to prominent chateaux including Lafite, Latour, and Margaux. The thefts generally followed the same pattern and started in June 2013. The burglars would pick a new victim every two weeks or so, typically a winery. They traveled in stolen automobiles and used bleach to remove any signs of their presence from the scene. They would leave the burnt car they had used after the haul was finished. For eight months, the burglars were active. 13 various chateaux and 2 warehouses were targeted.

October 2017: In this month, Jo Irvine launched her first wine label, named “Lévrier by Jo Irvine.” The name Lévrier, which derives from the French word for greyhound, is a tribute to her passion for these dogs, which spans over 20 years and has been an integral part of her life.

October 2017: In this month, Napa Valley Wine Academy launched its first WSET Diploma course in California. The Napa Valley Wine Academy (NVWA), a comprehensive private education facility for wine professionals, is located in California’s most well-known wine region. The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the Society of Wine Educators are only two of the globally renowned wine education organizations whose courses are now available.

October 2018: This month, Maison Perrier-Jout named Séverine Frerson chef de cave. It’s not easy to become a cellar master at one of the most famous Champagne houses in the world. However, Séverine Frerson made history in 2018 when she succeeded Hervé Deschamps as the first female cellar master in Maison Perrier history. Jout’s She was one of just a few women on the shortlist for the role in Champagne at the time.

October 2021: In this month, WSET approved a new WSET diploma center in Paris, France. A WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines program has been successfully run by the provider, WiSP Wine & Spirit Campus, from their Bordeaux Campus since 2018. The acceptance of this new center was a reflection of the WSET program’s expanding significance in France. After the US and the UK, France is currently WSET’s third-largest market, and it is expanding quickly, with the number of candidates rising by more than 200% over the previous three years.

October 2021: In this month, the Catalan organization “Reserva de la Tierra” was suspected of distributing wines with phony DO seals. Current media reports indicate that the fraud affects substantially more bottles than previously thought, with 40 million bottles worth roughly 14.2 million euros. The private equity company Sherpa Capital has acquired the bankrupt company. Over 5,000 acres in the DOs of Rioja, Castilla la Mancha, Ribera del Duero, and Rueda are under the control of the significant Spanish wine producer Reserva de la Tierra. The examination focused on the years 2019 through 2021. The court in the Catalan city of Reus called six people in total, including corporate personnel and related attorneys. The trials commenced on September 21. The company was charged with utilizing bulk wine to fill bottles labeled as DO wine. Around 22 million of the 40 million bottles were from the DO Terra Alta. This quantity was 13 times higher than the maximum amount of DO that could be produced. With 6.3 million bottles, DO Tarragona came in second, outselling DO-qualified wines by a ratio of 25. Additionally, the Priorat premium origin as well as the DOs Catalunya and Montsant were impacted.

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