How The Fearless Dukes of Burgundy Shaped Its Wines
Semur en Auxois Côte-d'Or
Discover the Influence of the Dukes of Burgundy
Religions, wars, and the nobility are closely connected throughout the rich long history of Burgundy and its wines. For many centuries, the land and vineyards around the Abbeys in France were held and tended by religious orders of monks. Some Abbeys, such as Citeaux, gave their names to foods, including cheeses. Many well-known wines today are descendants of the vines on the monk’s plots, and some still bear their names, like Gevrey Chambertin, which literally means ‘the field of the monk Bertin’. You can find these wines on the BurgundyWine.com site by Elden Selections.
The Pinot Noir Grape and The Dukes of Burgundy
Burgundy wine is built upon the red Pinot Noir grape. The first use of the word ‘pinot’ in writing that we know about definitively came in 1366, in relation to the accounts of an Archbishop in Auxerrois, though it is certain to have been spoken about long before then. But another grape – Gamay – has appeared from time to time throughout history, and has often been the cause of much ill-feeling (though it is now enjoyed, most notably in Beaujolais wines). It also had a famous run-in with one of the more opinionated Dukes of Burgundy…
Philip the Good
From the 14th century onwards, the nobility, particularly the Dukes of Burgundy, owned and profited from the vineyards in the Bourgogne region. Wine became a symbol of prosperity, good taste, and power. The Dukes played significant roles in helping to shape the Burgundy wine industry; where once the monks had run things, now the Dukes had taken charge.
During those times, it was customary for Dukes to add a sobriquet after their names. That is how we come to have such characters as Philip the Good, Charles the Bold, Philip the Bold, and John the Fearless. Philip the Good is (rather unfittingly) described in the Encyclopaedia Britannica as “an aggressive opportunist” who held bawdy dinners which no doubt included large quantities of the wine made locally. But it is perhaps Philip the Bold who has gone down in history when it comes to wine.
Philip the Bold issued a famous decree in 1395 regarding which grape varieties should be grown in Burgundy to most benefit the consumer. He favored Pinot Noir but disliked Gamay, declaring that the grape (which he called ‘base and unfaithful’) should be kept south of Mâcon. This decision was very controversial, as Gamay is now used in Beaujolais to great effect. But at the time, he blamed Gamay for causing illness in the population and damaging the good reputation of Burgundy as a place where fine wines were made. Whether this strength of feeling came about as a result of a particularly bad experience the Duke himself had had with the wine, possibly incorporating a bad hangover, history does not relate.
Why did he suspect Gamay in particular for being such a bad cousin to Pinot? Well, in the first place it grew rapidly as it was high-yielding. Whether this in itself was enough to banish it is unclear, but perhaps the age-old maxim of quality not quantity was coming into play and people assumed the large amounts meant lower quality. Secondly, Philip the Bold noted that the Gamay vines were being fertilised with manure from a variety of lowly farm animals and even their horns, risking the health of those that consumed the fruit in the Duke’s opinion. Thirdly, some unscrupulous vignerons were planting Gamay in and amongst Pinot vines, thus crowding the 'better’ grape out and even in some cases other arable crops which needed to be planted to produce food.
In some ways, the Duke’s actions set the tone for the passion and determination which has come to define the region when any discussion of grape type or appellation boundaries happens. But even in this early time in the 14th century, although the term appellation had clearly not been used, the idea of calling a wine by its place of origin had begun to take root.
You can discover the appellations of today’s Burgundy wines here on our website at Burgundywine.com.
The 15th century was a time of much upheaval in Burgundy; a pest arrived in the form of a beetle (an early prelude to phylloxera?) which destroyed many vineyards. And in 1477, the era of the Dukes of Burgundy ended with the death of the rather aptly named Charles the Rash. But the name of the Burgundy wines lived on. They became very popular with the French monarchs who were often prescribed it by their doctors for their various health issues, such as happened with Louis 14th.
Live Like a Duke at the Domaine de Cromey
The age of the Dukes of Burgundy may be over, but you can still relive those golden years! The Domaine de Cromey, a baronial manor house and home of burgundywine.com by Elden Selections, is a unique place to stay and explore the region. Here, as our guest, you can live like Dukes and Duchesses as your every whim is catered for. You can attend fascinating live tasting sessions with the Burgundy wine producers you see on our website, in our cellars or theirs. Then there are the cooking demonstrations, and the extensive gardens and pool to relax in after a hard day of gastronomy. We also work with local bike hire companies (electric too!) and so can make your dream of the perfect Burgundy cycling vacation become a reality.
Attend the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction
Additionally, the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune, known as the famous ‘Hospices de Beaune’, is a symbol of the Dukes' compassion. The building was constructed in 1443 and hosts a wine auction every November to raise money for good causes. Dijon, a vibrant hub of fine food and wine, also holds historical significance linked to the Dukes of Burgundy. We offer you the chance to take part in one of these incredible historic auctions. Join us for a historic auction where you can purchase exceptional Burgundy wine and support one of the world's most historic charitable institutions. You'll have the chance to become part of Burgundy's history and heritage! During a long weekend stay, we'll attend the auction together and introduce you to its memorable festivities. Everything is all-inclusive, and you'll be our exclusive guest. We'll do tastings in cellars and vineyards, both with locals and professionals. You can enjoy street food as well as the offerings at Cromey, thanks to our incredible chef Joss and our extensive kitchens and gardens. We'll plan our purchases for the Sunday auction, and on the big day, we'll attend the auction and bid on those all-important Hospices wines. It's an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. Book now for 2025 as 2024 is sold out.
If you're unable to visit Beaune or the Domaine de Cromey anytime soon, you can still purchase famous Hospices wine through our auction by joining one of our consortia. We bring together individuals interested in buying Hospices wine. The wine is only sold by the barrel, so we form groups of people who want to purchase a share of a barrel, which amounts to 48 bottles. A typical consortium consists of 5 members, with burgundywine.com retaining a 6th share for its services in organizing all the details, tasting the wines prior to the auction, attending the auction, and overseeing the wine's aging process over the next 15 to 18 months. Our goal is to purchase a special Premier Cru Burgundy wine for you, and we have been very successful in acquiring exceptional wines at reasonable prices over the past 11 years since we initiated this program. To learn more, click here.
Read about the history of the Dukes' predecessors in our article about the Monks of Burgundy. Learn some great Burgundy gastronomy recipes at our Cromey Burgundy Vacation blog. And why not join our Burgundy Wine Club, or Dennis's exclusive Library Club?
