Burgundy: Monastic influence

Nobles, peasants, and monks cultivated the vine under charlemagne, when political stability brought prosperity. Medieval Burgundy owes its reputation as a producer of excellent wines largely to the monks and monasteries. The monks had several advantages over lay growers: they had cellars and store rooms in which to mature their wine; and, most importantly, they kept records and had the time and the degree of organization necessary to engage in systematic improvement. The first group of monks to acquire vineyards in Burgundy on a large scale were the Benedictines of Cluny. The foundation in 910 of the Abbey at Cluny in Mâconnais was the beginning of the Benedictine reform movement. Between 927 and 1157 Cluny became a vast organization with hundreds of dependent priories, not only in France but also in England, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Through benefactions from pious laymen, Cluny came to own all the vineyards around Gevrey by 1273, and in 1232 the duchess of Burgundy granted the Abbey of St-Vivant the vineyards now known as Romanée-Conti, La Romanée, La Tâche, Richebourg and Romanée-St-Vivant (see also domaine de la romanée-conti). It also owned Pommard and vineyards at Auxey and Santenay.