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Period — 500–1500

The Monastic Middle Ages

When the empire fell, the Church caught the vine. Wine was liturgy, and the great orders — Benedictines, then the Cistercians of Cîteaux — became Europe's first terroirists, walling the clos of Burgundy and matching grape to ground plot by plot. Trade drew the map elsewhere: Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriage sent Bordeaux's pale claret to England by the fleet-load, the fairs of Champagne moved money, and Nebbiolo and Riesling enter the written record.

Key events

1098Cîteaux is founded; Cistercian monks build the clos of Burgundy
1152Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriage opens the claret trade with England
1266First written record of Nebbiolo in Piedmont
1191Richard the Lionheart praises Cyprus's Commandaria — 'the wine of kings'
1395Philip the Bold banishes Gamay from Burgundy — Beaujolais adopts it
1435First documented Riesling, on the Rhine

The grapes of the era

Indicative presence index, 0–100

70

60

50

45

Trebbiano (Ugni Blanc)

45

40

35

35

35

35

30

30

30

30

30

30

30

30

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

20

20

20

20

Grüner Veltliner

20

20

Melon de Bourgogne

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

15

15

Gewürztraminer

15

15

Nerello Mascalese

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

5

5

Sauvignon Blanc

5

Touriga Nacional

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

The wines of the era

Clairet Rosé Red Burgundy Red wine Graves & Pessac-Léognan Red Red wine Qvevri Saperavi Red wine Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red wine Cahors Red wine Qvevri Amber Wine Dry white Commandaria Sweet white White Burgundy Dry white Mosel Riesling Dry white Rheingau Riesling Dry white Chablis Dry white Beaujolais Red wine Hermitage Red wine Nemea Red wine Alentejo Red Red wine Dão Red Red wine Saint-Émilion Red Red wine Vouvray Dry white Santorini Assyrtiko Dry white Madiran Red wine Priorat Red wine Soave Dry white Montefalco Sagrantino Red wine Chianti Red wine Côte-Rôtie Red wine Sherry Fortified Wachau Grüner Veltliner Dry white Rueda Dry white Bierzo Red wine Vinho Verde Dry white Franken Silvaner Dry white Retsina Dry white Bandol Red wine Alto Adige Lagrein Red wine Dry White Bordeaux Dry white Rioja Red wine Côtes de Provence rosé Rosé Alsace Gewurztraminer Dry white Amarone della Valpolicella Red wine Rías Baixas Albariño Dry white Muscadet Dry white Corbières Red wine Vin Jaune Dry white Ribera del Duero Red wine Bouzeron Dry white Jurançon Sweet white Fendant Dry white Valdeorras Godello Dry white Taurasi Red wine Fiano di Avellino Dry white Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Dry white Mulsum Sweet white Passum Sweet white Condrieu Dry white Sancerre Dry white Tokaji Aszú Sweet white Moscato d'Asti Sparkling Burgenland Blaufränkisch Red wine Etna Rosso Red wine Nero d'Avola Red wine Arbois Poulsard Red wine Apremont Dry white Savoie Mondeuse Red wine Patrimonio Red wine Cannonau di Sardegna Red wine Utiel-Requena Bobal Red wine Lambrusco Sparkling Cirò Red wine Dingač Red wine Gavi Dry white Dolcetto d'Alba Red wine Arbois Trousseau Red wine Pomerol Red wine Barolo Red wine Port Fortified Barbera d'Asti Red wine Naoussa Red wine Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Red wine Primitivo di Manduria Red wine Blanquette de Limoux Sparkling Cour-Cheverny Dry white Madeira Fortified Falernian Dry white Médoc Red Red wine Sauternes Sweet white Champagne Sparkling Prosecco Sparkling Pinot Grigio delle Venezie Dry white Brunello di Montalcino Red wine Colares Red wine Marsala Fortified English Sparkling Sparkling