Bourgogne wines flourished under the leadership of the monks then the dukes of Bourgogne. Their work in identifying the best plots, organizing the vineyards, and implementing procedures to ensure quality production have continued to bear fruit over the centuries. The reputation of Bourgogne wines continues to grow and local women and men continue to construct the terroir of Bourgogne.

Bourgogne wines before the 1789 Revolution After the fall of the Duchy of Bourgogne, the King of France took control over the region. But he did not protect the vineyards as the Valois dukes had done, and, as such, the advances made were reversed. With vines more profitable than wheat, anybody was able to plant on any plot, without any geological considerations, which ignored the philosophy of the monks. In 1660, the Parliament of Bourgogne took offence and forbade the planting of vines on in the countryside in general and on land designated for wheat in particular. Vinegrowing was only authorized on hillsides.

Fagon’s prescription: Bourgogne wines conquer Versailles Royal physician to Louis XIV (1693), Guy Crescent Fagon prescribed his royal patient “old Bourgogne” wine as a cure. Its effects were beneficial. And immediately the Court began to drink Bourgogne, instead of Champagne which was its only rival. At the same time, Mâconnais winegrower Claude Brosse brought his barrels to Versailles – a pioneer in the art of direct sales! The 18th century was dedicated to science and reason and people wanted an explanation for the excellence of Bourgogne wine. Was it the soil, the subsoil, climatic factors, the grape variety or human hand? In the 1720s, the corporation of “courtiers gourmets” (the official tasters of Bourgogne wine) gradually gave way to private and independent wine merchants. Champy was the first to set up shop in Beaune, and was soon followed by Bouchard, Latour and Chanson among others. Around this time, bottling began to increase in popularity, which allowed the wines to age. Young wines fell from favor amongst those who could afford wine in bottles and vintage wines became fashionable. In 1728, the first book devoted to Bourgogne wine was published in London, written by an abbot, Claude Arnoux. He examined the region in detail, explaining that. “the wines of the best Climats of each village are already being sold under the name of their appellation.” A whole terminology of tasting was born. The haute bourgeoisie and the local nobility took a keen interest in wine and gradually took over from the monasteries, which were in decline. In 1760, Louis-François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti, acquired one of the clos of the Abbey of Saint-Vivant in Vosne, La Romanée, which he described in glowing terms. Thomas Jefferson visited the region in 1787. His was the first recorded description of the region to be done by a foreigner.

Two centuries later, the hierarchy Jefferson recorded is still in use and it was he who introduced the first bottles of Bourgogne into the cellars of the White House. Bourgogne wines after the Revolution 1789 saw a sensational turn of events. The property of the clergy was confiscated because it was considered part of the nobility. It became property of the state and was soon put up for auction.  As a result, the Bourgogne winegrowing region was acquired by the bourgeoisie, who divided it up amongst themselves. Some monopolies survived this division and remained one single entity, such as Romanée-Conti or Clos de Tart. Others were sold in small plots, such as the Clos de Vougeot, which now belongs to nearly one hundred different owners. Local bourgeoisie along with Parisian speculators profited most from the largescale redistribution of property, especially that of the most well-known appellations. A page was turned and a new chapter begun. But these new owners were no fools when it came to self-promotion. La Romanée became La Romanée-Conti even though the Count had seen his property snatched away. A famous name always has its uses! In 1790, the French départements were established.

And the Bourgogne region was divided into four, the Yonne, the Nièvre, the Côte d’Or and Saône-et-Loire.

Source:Vins de Bourgogne

Photo Credit:Kyriakos Kynigopoulos