Burgundy Wines in The 18th century

As written since 1775, the 'Description générale et particulière du Duché de Bourgogne' by Courtépée is giving, among others, a excellent description of the history of wine in Burgundy and of the 'crus' or 'climats' which were already renowned in his time. The 'crus' or 'climats' are small sets of vineyards, the uniqueness of which in terms of soil and solar exposition for example, produce a unique wine in terms of taste and qualities. Since the 11th century A.D., the classification of the terroirs of Burgundy was done upon the basis of geology. We left those terms along with the name of the crus and climats unchanged from the French. Celts of Gauls and from elsewhere, on the other hand, drank Italian wines as soon as before the Roman occupation, as they were especially imported from Tuscany through the Rhône, or the Saône rivers. That liking of Gauls about wine likely was at the origin of some Gallic raids against Rome! Gauls thus were much found of wine and indulged themselves completely into its culture under the Roman rule -with vines issued from Marseilles- to the point that emperor Domitian ordered by 92 A.D., a year when there was a wont of wheat, that half of the vineyards to be taken off and that no new one be planted. One came back to liberty under Probus, by 282 A.D. Wines of the time were aromatized with herbs, spices, or fruits and fortified with honey or even salt for conservation. Romans drank wine much added with water as pure wine was gods' prerogative -- the Gauls drinking it pure were considered barbarians. Barrels were a Gallic invention and wine ousted beer while worship of god Bacchus expanded in Burgundy. By the 6th century A.D., Burgundian vineyards already had reached such a fame that the wines there were compared to the best wines of Italy as one had ceased to import wines from Gaza and Palestine, which until then were providing for the extraordinary of good Roman tables since Pompeius. The relay, after the Barbaric Invasions, passed to monasteries. Wine was a sacred drink as the symbol of Christ's blood and abbeys and monasteries were endowed with lands by laymen as monks combined prayer and work. Benedictines in Burgundy, as they turned more and more Clunisiac, are the example of that and they possessed lands in the côte of Chalon or the Mâconnais not taking in account some domains more North like the Romané-St-Vivant or the vineyards of the abbey of Bèze. Wine was used for Eucharist and as the art of wine growing being improved by monks, surplus eventually were sold. Such a effort then when was carried on by Cistercians who hold domains from Chablis down to Chalon-sur-Saône through the côte de Nuits and de Beaune. It was monks of the Middle Ages generally, who defined the 'climats,' those tracts of land bearing a wine of special characteristics or the 'clos,' which are climats closed with stone walls, a typical Burgundian tradition, the walls of which hold back solar warmth or defend vineyards against game. Dukes of Burgundy kept that tradition as they owned their own 'clos' and presentend other sovereigns with their wines. Wines of Beaune participated at Reims into the anointment of King of France Philippe of Valois. French cities, outside Burgundy included, were offering barrels of Burgundy wines to dukes and kings at the occasion when those entered there. The abbeys of Cluny and Citeaux also provided with Burgundy wines the courts of popes in Avignon as Petrarchus assigns to that that cardinals did not show a great will to journey back to Rome, as there was not 'Beaune's wine' in Italy. Beaune wines were considered the first in Europe as it was celebrated, by the Renaissance, by Erasmus. A illness of Louis XIV, in 1680, had the court of France to give the preference to the wines of Burgundy over the wines of Champagne, which angered people from that province and triggered scholarly disputes over the benefits to health of both wines. Beaune's wine was offered to John Sobiesky, King of Poland as, by the end of the 17th century, it is said that such wines were drinken at the court of the king of Persia. Dutch vineyards at the Cape of Good Hope, in South Africa, came from Beaune as, by the 18th century, Philippe V, King of Spain is drinking wines from Burgundy only in Madrid. And the same for the northern kings and, partly, the papal court. Despite a law of 1395 by Philippe the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, which forbade a variety of vineyard, the 'gamay' like unfaithful, it developed to the point of replacing wheat on fields which favoured the latter

People from Beaune boast that them alone have the exclusive possession of the best wines of Burgundy. That seems historically justified as, since the Middle Ages, people took 'Beaune's wines' and 'Burgundy wines' for synonyms! The wines of Chambertin and Bèze, in Dijon's country however, along with those in Morey, Chambole, Vône and St-Georges in Nuits-St-Georges area justly can challenge that. Thus one may consider that three area in Dijon already, by the 18th century, are yielding quality wines. In names, the Dijon's coast, down to Chambertin, the Nuits' coast and the Beaune's country

• The Dijonnais. Wines are cultivated on a coast which begins to rise by the very neighbourhood of Dijon. That coast is exposed East and South and, finally, may be considered continuing down until in Provence. The King of France ordered by 1485 to whip off vineyards there as they had been planted on soils proper to other farming products. Vineyeards in Dijon have the Crays de Pouilly, Poussots, Rosés, Perrières, which are light and delicate wines. Fontaines and Talant, two villages West of Dijon, have common wines as the climats of Violettes and Mardors are excellent after the 3rd and 4th barrels, as they are more rosées than the previously quoted ones and that they may yield some benefits to intermediaries. Dijon always had a important population of vineyard farmers who cultivated their own wines and ones for landlords just outside the city. Are good too wines of Chenôve, which is the first village of the 'good coast.' Here are to be found the 'clos du Roi' and some climats yielding very good wines. Conserved during 5 or 6 years, they then become comparable to the wines of Nuits. Marsannay wines are inferiors to the previous ones. Couchey, Fixey, Fixin (where les Perrières distinguish themselves), and Brochon are producing the best ordinary wines. The Dijon's coast is ending at Gevrey. Vineyard is easier to cultivate than in any location of the bailliage of Dijon. A excellent ordinary wine is produced. To be distinguished are the climats of Chambertin and Bèze, to be considered the 'heads of Burgundy wines.' They may be conserved during a long time and sustain to be transported. Of note is that North of Dijon, a great quantity of vineyards are found in Selongey, Gemeaux, Is-sur-Tille, Chaignay, Epagny, Pichange, etc. as they are planted of any variety however and with varied solar expositions. Wines thus are well inferior in quality to the previous ones. Best wines of that 'rear-coast' are the ones of Selongey
• Nuits' coast. There are produced the best wines of Burgundy. Their fame arose when Louis XIV, King of France, fell ill and that his physician, Fagon, ordered a 'pectoral' wine. Most excellent of the Nuits' wines is the Vosne; it is the 'head of the Burgundy wines' and famed in all of Europe. There are no common wines in Vosne. Most distinguished climates are located of the hill above the village's church, with the Romanée (belonging to the Prince of Conti), Romanée of St-Vivant, Richebourg, clos of Varoilles, Grande Rue, la Tache, le Malconfort, les Echezaux and les Beaumont, those both last located on the parish of Flagey. Their superiority compared to the other wines of the Nuits' coast began to be asserted by 1680. In Nuits self, the climat of St-Georges if famed and le Boudot too. In Morey wines are justly renowned. Wines in Chambolles are excellent, have a great bouquet and frankness. Vougeot also has good wines. Premeaux is yielding a first quality wine in the Nuit's coast
• Beaunois. As far as the Beaunois is concerned -and that is reflected by the hierarchy of the prices- Volnay is the lightest, finest, the most primeur wine. The Pommard has more body and trueness as he sustains best in warm countries. The Beaune has more color and is more agreable ot drink as it is still more true. The Savigny and Chassagne are more moëlleux by they 2nd and 3rd barrel. Some places in Aloxe, above all the Corton, boast to equal those, at least as far as trueness is concerned. The Pernand is stiffer than the Aloxe but does not have its bouqet, the Vergelesses excepted which equal the good climats of Savigny. The Monthélie, in the neighbourhood of Volnay, equals the Savigny as it surpasses the Auxey. The Auxey is strong and light as it does not has the trueness of a Savigny. The Santenot, in Meursault is comparable to a Volnay as white wines are excellent and desserve their reputation. The Montrachet is winning over all the white wines of Burgundy and Europe! One may distinguish further reds of Morgeot, Clavoillon, les Gravières, le clos Tavannes and wines of Santenay. The climats of Beaune, Pommard and Volnay are superior to others in the area, even if some other wines may also be distinguished outside those three. More details are having the following: in Aloxe, emperor Charlemagne presented the church of Saulieu with vineyards -or the 'clos de Charlemagne'- which yield a very good white, and red, wine. The climat called 'Corton' is excellent as it was in the past a famed white whine which was unplanted when the quality of the red one was discovered. Wines of Auxey-le-Grand and Auxey-le-Petit are famed since the 15th century as they sold in Metz. The most excellent white wine of Europe is to be found in Chassagne as it sorts into 'real Montrachet', 'Chevalier,' and 'Bâtard.' Meursault, along with Monthélie has good vineyards, the white wines of which are famed in all of France. Best climats are les Charmes, les Perrièeres, les Génevriers, la Goutte d'Or. As far a red wine is concerned, the Santenot is another one, which lies close to Volnay, where the finest 'blackies' ['noiriens' in French; maybe for red wines] are found also. The Passe-tout-Grain are named the 'physicians of other wines' as they are too the best, ordinary -when aged- wines on good tables. The wine of Monthélie is appreciated. In Pernand, the clos that Charlemagne presented the collegiale of Saulieu with -which we already quoted- is lying for a largest part on the parish. Best climats are Vergelesse and Boutière, in the vicinity of Savigny. Wines in Pommard are renowned for their fineness and trueness as they come only after a Volnay for their price! A good wine is produced in Puligny. Best climats in St-Romain are sous le Château and Poliange. By Santenay, vineyards hold a considerable part; best climats are la Gravière, le Clos Tavannes, le Clos Pitois. The wine of Savigny-les-Beaune is famed. Finest climats are les Guettes, les Vergelesses, les Jarrons. Volnays are the excellence of wines. As they were primeurs in the past, paillés and were made just out of the vineyard without passing through cuvaison, they are cuvés nowadays and red and may be conserved several years. The ban of harvesting the vineyards -that authorization to harvest dating back to the Middle Ages- is usually the one to which all other in the Burgundy coast are aligned