In the 1820's : appearance of the first books on wine making..

1855 : Doctor Lavalle set up an exhaustive classification of all the wines of Burgundy making a distinction between Grands Crus and Premiers Crus.

During the entire 19th century, Parisian high society invested great amounts in the châteaux around Bordeaux, which led to popularity of Bordeaux wines among Paris consumers as well as in England due to the reputation of these businessmen. But in Burgundy, investors were much more discret. At the time, Burgundy owed its popularity more to famous consumers such as Napoleon Bonaparte, or, in his time, Thomas Jefferson, than to its owners.

However, due to the wine houses, employment increased (an average of 30 in each house) and associated industries were created. Banking, in particular, underwent considerable development. For example, the Caisse d'Epargne opened a branch in Beaune at the beginning of the 19th century.

In addition to being of capital importance to the local economy, the great wine Houses had an influence in government circles; their directors were also active in politics and the law …

Their political ideas were often linked to their influence on the economy. Generally seeking order and stability, the great wine houses supported the regime which preserved their company and guaranteed their financial interests.

1848 : Arrival of Napoleon III, whose economic liberalism was greeted with enthusiasm by the wine industry.

1870 : Antonin Bouchard was elected President of the Beaune Chamber of Commerce, a powerful trade union which defended the interests of the wine producers in the region.

It was at this time that phylloxera arrived in Europe from the United States. The insect devours the roots of the vines and kills them. It destroyed many of the vineyards in France and began to attack the vines in Burgundy towards 1878, starting in Meursault.

The French Revolution in 1789 and the phylloxera crisis were the main causes of the drastic changes in ownership of vineyards in Burgundy, turning the Côte d'Or into a mosaic made up of tiny pieces of land.

The years following the phylloxera crisis were far from favouring quality wine making in Burgundy. Above all, the will to produce quality vines which saved the quality of the Burgundian vineyards (some wine growing areas with similar characteristics and traditions did not survive). In addition, vineyards which were replanted in the best exposures, on the hillness sides survived, while many vines, in the Saône plain or on the upper hills, were not replaced.

Moreover, Burgundy has no access to the sea unlike Bordeaux and its vineyard and it was only due to the energy of the men, amongst whom the directors of the wine houses, that the commercial development of Burgundian wines was able to take place. Thus, at the end of the 18th century, Joseph and Antoine Philibert Bouchard were to be seen selling their wines in Stockholm and Berlin.

1886 : Scientists found a means of protecting the vineyards against phylloxera through American root-stock, which was immune to the insect. A new vineyard appeared, grown in rows and trained up wires, replacing the traditional method of planting vines in disarray and allowing the branches to trail along the ground and layer themselves.

The wine of Burgundy was safe and its quality preserved.

1894 : " Meursault Goutte d'Or " produced from a grafted vine received a gold medal in the Paris competition.

1896 : The importance of Beaune and its surroundings was confirmed by the establishment of the Banque de France office in Beaune.