Adèle Rouzé
The origins of the Quincy appellation lie in Medieval times, and like many ancient wine regions the vine was first planted here for religious reasons. Although today these vineyards of verdant green may seem like an oasis of viticulture in an agricultural desert of golden wheat, as I worded it (more or less) in the introduction to my profile of Jacques Rouzé, the vineyards of Quincy were once part of a much grander viticultural landscape. And not for the first time it was a Benedictine order, located at a nearby abbey, who first worked the soils here. They established vineyards not only to provide wine for ceremonial purposes, but also because wine had the potential to provide a lucrative income.
The abbey in question was the Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Beauvoir, and it was located a very short distance to the east, in the commune of Marmagne. It sat on the banks of the Yèvre, partway between Mehun-sur-Yèvre and Bourges, itself a town of some historical significance; it was the monks from Bourges that planted some of Sancerre’s most important vineyards, including many around Chavignol.
Please log in to continue reading: