Cistercian

Zisterzienser

The Catholic order of monks went as a reform movement of the Order of Benedictine produced and has its origins in the French Burgundy . It was in 1098 by Robert de Molesme (1029-1111) in the head monastery of Citeaux north Beaune founded. As a significant distinction wear the white monks instead of the black Benedictine robes. The Saint Bernard de Clairvaux (1090-1153) founded the monastery of Clairvaux in 1115 and adopted a new Rule. Once a Cistercian monastery was one of 60 monks, twelve of them had to move out and establish a new monastery. This led to an enormous expansion, in 1153 there were 400 monasteries and 100 years later, 2000 Cistercian nuns and 1,400 monasteries throughout Europe. The Order specialized in good soil management. The monks experimented with various fully perfectionism Soil type , as well as pruning , Finishing and Winemaking . Her greatest achievement was the conception of the Classified or Terroir . The experience and knowledge benefited all countries where the Order was active.

In addition to the Benedictine and Carthusians their first vineyard. By Foundation, purchase, lease and exchange increased its holdings of the Order of vineyards in Burgundy, in many now-famous appellations, for example, Chablis (where the monks first planted to Chardonnay) Aloxe-Corton , Pommard and Volnay . One of the most famous of these is the current position of Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot in the Côte de Nuits with 50 hectares of vineyards, which they say used as an experimental laboratory. It is said that even here they "tasted the ground." This wine was bought by the monks in 1330 fenced with high walls that you see today. In 1551 they built in this area, the Château de Vougeot, which now houses the Wine Brotherhood Brotherhood of the Chevaliers du Tastevin keeps their annual meeting.

Within a hundred years created more than 200 branches on the Rhine between Cologne and Worms. One of the most famous monasteries in 1136, founded the Eberbach in the Rheingau region with its famous Steinberg Hattenheim. In the 12th and 13 Century, this monastery, with its offshoots, so to speak, the largest wine company in the world. At first the monks planted vines brought from Burgundy, were among Noirien and Fromenteau , The ancestors of the Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The name "Pinot Gris" for Pinot Gris comes from the fact that they introduced the vine. They were also instrumental in the cultivation of the Riesling . In 1137 they founded the Monastery Pforta at Naumburg in today's growing region of Saale-Unstrut. The famous terraced vineyards Dézaley on Lake Geneva in the Swiss canton Vaud was created in 1142 with extreme effort.

The counting of the oldest wineries in Austria estate freehold Thallern at Gumpoldskirchen was founded in 1141 by the Cistercian monks of Heiligenkreuz and operated to this day one of them. In 1232 was present in Kutjevo Croatia a wine cellar founded, which still exists. Also in the Hungarian region of Tokaj wine region, the monks had vineyards (see Tokay ). Because of the great achievements in the Rheingau wine-growing in the new variety was Arnsburger its name from the Cistercian monastery at Arnsburg casting. In the 19th Century Cistercian lost most of their possessions, but today they are mainly engaged in pastoral care and teaching. The Order saw the wine a special gift from God and a Citations was: Qui bon vin boit, Dieu voit (You give a good, you look God in the wine).