Alcoholic Beverages

Pictures of the work of the vine in a manuscript from the twelfth century

From the fourth century, Christianity provides reinforcement in the value attached to wine and takes over the Roman Empire destroyed. Communion under both species, practiced until the thirteenth century, is a driving force for keeping the wine tradition. The Middle Ages will be the witness of the development of quality wine. While the wines of antiquity were cut off water and spiced with herbs and spices, the wine as we know, which made its appearance in the Middle Ages. The expansion of Christian civilization will be the source of the expansion of viticulture in the world.

In 800, Charlemagne is taking steps to improve the quality of wine in an order which states: “What we are responsible stewards of our vines under their ministry, and do work well, they make wine in a dish and take every precaution not to be spoiled in any way. “But the true custodians of quality are the monks, who perpetuate the tradition in wine. Cathedrals and churches are owners of vineyards, in the guise of the “wine of Mass, the monks involved monastic vineyards and contribute to the birth of many vineyards quality still existing today.

At the end of the tenth century, Bordeaux, the only wine region not to be under the influence of the Church began to develop. The Grand Duchy of Aquitaine, united with the crown of England, met the British fleet of claret wine whose English raffolaient. The vineyards of Bordeaux takes real boom in the late twelfth century.

At the beginning of the twelfth century there was a very important act for the vineyards of Champagne: the establishment of the Magna Carta champenoise, in which William of Champeaux, bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, confirms the agricultural and wine-growing areas of Abbey Saint-Pierre-aux-Monts. The charter is considered the founding document of the vineyards of Champagne.

Gradually, tastes are changing and consumers are abandoning the heady wine of the time to act to clear wines and lighter. The wine is the subject of a commercial real battle, and the wines are beginning to assert their individuality. It is of course difficult to imagine the taste of wines from the Middle Ages, but in view of the techniques used, it can be assumed that the wines are present together. Fact which can be confirmed by the first ranking of wines ever made (in 1224), which devotes vineyards yet known today.

Throughout the period of the Middle Ages, France is the largest exporter of wine. Paris and the Ile-de-France is the largest vineyard in France, which supplies the cities, large consumers of wine.