Burgundies for the true connoisseur

Cistercian monks were Burgundy's original winemakers. They drained the swamps from the 12th century and built stone walls called clos around the best sites. During the French Revolution the state confiscated church land and expelled the monks, selling the vineyards.

Later, the Napoleonic Code overruled the eldest son's right to inherit the entire estate, giving equal share to each man. This meant estates became divided into smaller and smaller parcels, diluting property sizes. These small parcels were not economic.

This saw the arrival of merchants, called negociants, who bought grapes from these small parcels and made wine. They also stored wine in their extensive cellars, which remain at a constant temperature and 80 percent humidity.