We mentioned it in our previous post, it is by fidelity to this request made 2000 years ago by their God made man that the monks, for nearly 1000 years, worked the land to produce wheat and vines, ‘fruits of the earth and of the labour of men’, as the Bible says.
This is how the walls of the Clos were built, the grape varieties selected and the winemaking techniques improved. It will take hard work, centuries of toil, to make a wine worthy of Him, to dig cellars that can house it and allow it to improve. No effort should be spared to say respect of the divine Covenant.
It is their hard work, the accumulation of knowledge that will grow and be passed on from generation to generation until today, which has shaped the wine-growing and agricultural face of France and Europe – its landscapes, its vineyards – as we know it today.
A few key dates in the European context of the reintroduction of the vine
- 5th century – collapse of the Western Roman Empire, barbarian invasions, anarchy.
- 6th century – social reconstruction by and around the Church – On the banks of the upper Loire, St Martin de Tours.
- circa 900, Vikings, Saracens and Hungarians attacks. 200 cities – and libraries – in flames. Writing almost disappeared. The monks saved it by taking refuge in Ireland.
- In 910, foundation of the Abbey of Cluny, in Burgundy, which soon became one of the great symbols and lighthouses of Benedictine life.
- In 1075, foundation of the Abbey of Molesme, in Burgundy still. Dominique Gruhier, one of our partner winemakers, now lives in one of his outbuildings, the Petit Quincy, in Epineuil, has a sizeable barn.
- In 1098, still in Burgundy, foundation of the Abbey of Cîteaux. Several hundred monasteries of monks and nuns were then founded throughout Europe. The Abbey have up to 742 subsidiaries spread throughout Europe.
Better than any words, two maps to illustrate the magnitude of the monastic movement that began in Burgundy before spreading throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
Map of the Cluny Abbey Daughters in Europe
The monks cultivate the vine and inherit many lands located around the abbeys thanks to donations from the nobility and purchases.
At the end of the 11th century, several hundred settlements covered France, northern Italy and Spain, Germany and England. The monks became the main producers of wines. They have vast vineyards, a large workforce and exclusive cellars, wineries and presses and techniques to improve yields.
Two centuries later, more than 700 other abbeys of the order of Cîteaux will come. That is, as many vineyards.
L’extension de l’ordre de Cîteaux au 12e siècle. En tout, 742 abbayes.
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Historically, Burgundy was the birthplace of the monastic movement which would give its religious, agricultural and wine-growing structure to all of Europe.
Traces of this unique adventure are everywhere: in the architecture, of course, including stained glass windows that have remained intact today.
The wine…
The Monks winemakers prune the vineyard.
Stained glass of the zodiac and works of the months.
Cathedral of Chartres, France, 1217-1220.
… and the bread
Monk harvesting wheat. Bible from Cluny Abbey, 13th century.
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Thus came into being Aloxe–Corton, Bonnes-Mares, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Clos de Tart, Clos de Beze, Clos de Vougeot, Meursault, Pommard, Morey St Denis, Musigny, Romanée Conti in Burgundy. And further south, Châteauneuf du Pape, Hermitage, Gigondas, Vacqueyras.
All these names evoke wines known to all. We could also mention Bourgueil, Champigny, Saint Pourçain, Pouilly-fumé, Bandol, Lerins, Aniane, Mougères, and thousands of famous vineyards throughout all the regions of France, all the countries of Europe.
The common point of this incredible world heritage is to be of monastic origin. And a king grape variety will be chosen to initiate the movement. This will be the subject of our next post.