Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/689634
5 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t L 'Histoire de la Bourgogne Before I share these insights, let's take a brief historical spin through Burgundy. It is one of one of the oldest wine regions in the world. Some writings suggest grapes were being cultivated there in the 1st century b.c. By the 10th century, the Benedictines owned large vineyard parcels, and, in the 12th century, the Cistercians encamped and committed their resources and time to understanding and crafting wines. In the mid-14th century, it was the Cistercians who built a wall around one of their vineyards and called it Clos de Vougeot—a vineyard still produc- ing extraordinary wines today. The Cistercians also experimented and meticulously recorded their experi- ments (what they planted and where they planted) as well as the results (which sites produced the highest qual- ity grapes). These recordings revealed that certain vineyards consistently produced the highest-quality grapes and, subsequently, the best wines. Then, in the 14th and 15th centu- ries, Burgundy became the domain of the Dukes of Burgundy, who decreed in 1395 that the only red grape al- lowed to be planted was Pinot Noir. Thereafter, political winds started to blow, the power of the Church began to wane and many vineyards were sold. After the French Revolu- tion, vineyards in the hands of the Church were taken, broken up and ultimately sold. In 1855, Dr. Jules Lavalle published a book rating the vineyards, and, in 1861, this three-tier vineyard rating system was implemented and remains in place today. Ironically, the classifications laid out by Lavalle closely mir- rored the unofficial observations of the Cistercians so many years prior. Their work through the centuries had been superb and spot on—and now was recog- nized and codified. In fact, I might even suggest that Bur- gundian wines may be differ- ent because of the uniqueness of their soil conditions and micro-climate coupled with hundreds of years of experi- mentation, trial and error. Visiting the stunning and historic Clos de Vougeot vineyard is not complete without tasting some of the Château de La Tour Clos de Vougeot wines, an ideal expression of Burgundy's impeccable vineyards. Along his journey into the heart of understanding Burgundian wines, John Terlato met with vintners like François Labet, whose Château de La Tour winery is widely-regarded as one of the premiere producers in Burgundy, thanks in part to overseeing the largest percentage of the iconic Clos de Vougeot vineyard—and the choicest parcel at that.