There is evidence of vine-growing in Burgundy since the second century AD, (although some commentators have speculated that the Celts may have been growing vines in the region before the Romans conquered Gaul in 51 BC). Monks and monasteries have had an important influence on the history of Burgundy wine.
History of French Burgundy wine
The Cistercian Monks created many Burgundy vineyards and they were the first to notice that different vineyard plots gave consistently different wines. They therefore laid the earliest foundation for the naming of Burgundy wine regions (crus).
18th century - The growth of French Burgundy wine
Since Burgundy is land-locked, very little of its wines left the region in Medieval times. The only part of Burgundy which could transport its wine to Paris was the area around Auxerre, by means of the Yonne River. This area, which includes Chablis, developed the early reputation for 'vin de Bourgogne'. In the 18th century, as the quality of roads in France improved, so did the exposure of other Burgundy wines to the Parisian wine merchants.
20th Century - Rise and Fall of Burgundy wine
During the 20th Century, Burgundy wines experienced many changes. The economic depression of the 1930s and the disruption caused by World War II led to many vines and soils declining in quality. After World War II wine yields from the Burgundy vineyards were reasonably low, but the resulting wine produced once again established the supremacy of Burgundy wines. However early success in the 1950's led to decline in the 1970's and 1980's as vineyards over-sprayed fertiliser and pottassium to increase yields. The soils became too acidic and the quality of the wine delined.
1990's - Re-birth of Burgundy wine
In response to the gradual decline of Burgundy wine sales, many vineyards during the late 1980s and early 1990s replanted many vines and changed their winemaking methods. This led to the production of deeper, more complex Burgundy wines which has inspired an upturn in Burgundy wine sales. Burgundy wines still have some critics (often from within their own ranks). A common complaint is that more focus is given to the soil type than the grape variety, climate conditions or expertise of the individual wine blenders. This over-concentration on the geographical classification of Burgundy wines is personnified by the Burgundy wine labels where the appellations are most prominent and producer's names often appears at the bottom in much smaller text.
| Next > |
|---|