| News from the Washington Wine Academy
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Welcome back! We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.
In the long list of things we're thankful for, the return of our Great Wines event -- only $13.50 + one bottle of wine / person -- tops the list. We love the opportunity to taste new wines and be introduced to favorites from our WWA readers. If you haven't yet registered to attend, do so now. You don't want to miss this great event!
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Prohibition's Repeal: 75th Anniversary
Did you know that this week marks the 75th anniversary
of the repeal of prohibition, which lasted from 1920 until 1933? In fact,
December 5 is the official anniversary of the repeal because that is the day that Utah became the 36th state -- reaching the required ¾
mark -- to ratify the 21st amendment and end National Prohibition.
However, even with the Prohibition laws, there were
loopholes. Individuals could make up to 200 gallons a year of "fruit
juices" for personal use. Sacramental wine also was allowed and alcohol
could be prescribed for medicinal purposes. (One estimate says that doctors earned
$40 million in 1928 by writing prescriptions for whiskey.) Some grape growers even
produced a type of grape jelly suggestively called "Vine-go" which,
with the addition of water, could make a strong wine within two months
However, even with all of these ways around the laws,
Prohibition took its toll on American industries. Before Prohibition,
there were about 700 wineries in California. After the repeal,
only about 40 remained. The
number of St. Louis breweries went from 22 pre-Prohibition to only 9 reopening
after Prohibition ended in 1933.
We're just glad that even with the remnants of Prohibition that survive today -- such as local laws preventing sales of alcohol on Sundays or in grocery stores -- U.S. residents have been able to enjoy wine and beer for the past 75 years. And we encourage you to raise a glass of your favorite alcohol on December 5 and toast the state of Utah.
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 Weekly WWA Events:
Every FRIDAY at the Arlington Cinema 'N Drafthouse - 6:15 p.m.
Every Saturday and Sunday in partnership with Reston Limousine!
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- Vinography: Wine and food adventures in San Francisco and around the world
- Wine Library TV
- Dr. Vino: Wine talk that goes down easy
- The Pour: A New York Times wine blog by Eric Asimov
- Fermentation: A blog set inside the world of of wine public relations--where the media, the culture and [Tom Wark] mingle
* According to Google. For a list of Google's Top 100 Wine Blogs, visit the ENOBYTES.com
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