By the end of the 11th century, the
Abbey at Cluny was the head of about a thousand monasteries
in France and also in Italy. At that time, the Abbey also owned
the biggest wine estate in Burgundy, spread over Pommard,
Beaune, Auxey,
Santenay, Givry and even
into the Côte de Nuits.
In fact, the Clos Prieur and the Combe aux moines in Gevrey
owe their names to the work of the "black monks" from the Cluny
Abbey. For over 500 years, the role of the Cluny monks was essential
for the Burgundian vineyards.
But it was because it became so rich that Cluny was widely criticized,
leading to an important movement of monastic reform in Europe.
1084 : Bruno Hartenfaust settled in
the Alps and created the order of the Carthusians, based on
a return to austerity, silence and a contemplative life. The
monks lived as hermits. Towards 1200, about forty monasteries
had adopted the Carthusians' way of life.
During the 13th century, the Carthusian
order came to Beaune where
it remained until the French Revolution in 1789. Apart from
the wines of Cahors, the monks endeavoured to bring to the
fore the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and other
estates including some in Burgundy. However, in spite of its
austerity, the order founded by St. Bruno was no obstacle
to the remarkable enrichment of the wine heritage of France.
1098 : With a will to return to a stricter observation
of the rules of Saint Benoît, Robert de Molesme founded
the Abbey at Cîteaux.
Unlike the monks at Cluny, the Cistercians worked the land
themselves, for their beliefs were based on a balance between
prayer and manual labour.
The rules of Saint Benoît allowed the monks a daily
ration of wine but the wine was made above all for reasons
of prestige and economic development. At a time when abbeys
were important stopping places for travellers and pilgrims,
it was beneficial to be known as a good cook to attract prestigious
visitors who would, no doubt, leave handsome alms money in
exchange for a bed and dinner. The wine of the Burgundian
monks was also used in diplomatic circles : gifts of wine
enabled them to maintain contact with famous people throughout
Europe : popes, kings, princes, dukes, bishops…
The first vineyards were given to monks in Meursault, at the
Clos des Corvées, by Eudes I, Duke of Burgundy.
1096-1290 : the religious communities in Burgundy received
many donations from lords who had left on crusades in return
for spiritual protection. Their vineyards increased greatly
during this period.
1100 : Cîteaux received land in
Vougeot which the monks
strove to improve.
1132 : Birth of the Abbey of Maizières,
near Beaune, a descendant
of the Cistercian movement.
During the 14th century :
The settling of the popes in Avignon favoured
the development of viticulture in the Côte
d'Or.
Moreover, some authors, such as Petrarch maintained
that the popes remained in Avignon because they were so fond
of the wine of Beaune, the name which was given at
the time to the great wines of Burgundy.
At the same time, the development of commerce was beneficial
to the vineyards and therefore to the wines of Burgundy. This
was also the time of the great international fairs, where
by goods went from North to South by road and river.
At this time, Beaune became independent and gained in notoriety.
Woodland and heath gave way to vineyards. The vineyards grew
considerably. Surrounded by dry stone walls, they became known
as "clos".
1330 : The Cistercians built a stone
wall round their Vougeot
estate to give it a definite identity. By this time, they
owned vineyards right across the Côte.
1348 - 1360 : The ecclesiastical community and many others
were decimated by epidemics of the plague.
As labour had become rare, quality became more important than
quantity. It was for this reason that the Cistercian monks
perfected their techniques of training the vines and wine
making, enriched the soil and began to select grape varieties.
The increasing success of the Cistercians inspired other religious
orders such as
- Vergy who created the Clos Saint-Denis at Morey
Saint Denis,
- the parish church of Santenay
which created the Clos Saint-Jeanin Chassagne-Montrachet,
- the nuns of Notre-Dame-de-Tart who walled in the Clos de
Tart,
- the cathedral chapter in Langres which created the Clos
du Chapitre
1361 : The death of Duke Philippe de Rouvres led to a
new era, the golden age of Burgundy. The dynasty of the Valois
of Burgundy was to create, from Philippe le Hardi to Charles
le Téméraire, a true princely state, the "Grand
Duchy of the west".
1443 : Under the reign of Duke Philippe le Bon, construction
of the Hospice de Beaune, a magnificent representative of
the so-called " Burgund-Flemish " style, still seen
today on many roofs in the region.
1477 : Upon the death of Charles le Téméraire,
Louis XI seized the Duchy of Burgundy.
At this time, the annexation of the Duchy cut Burgundy off
from the rich tables of Flanders. Quality gave way to quantity,
gamay supplanted pinot. The wars of religion and the fashion
for Spanish wines led to a temporary eclipse of the wines
of Burgundy.
1482 : The Duchy of Burgundy was eventually integrated
into the royal estate. Dispossessed of her rights, the only
daughter of Charles le Téméraire married Maximilian
of Austria, and passing on to him her estate, including the
Duchy of Burgundy.
