Beaune

The Gamay grape, taking its name from a small village in the hills around Beaune, had sprouted in large numbers across Burgundian vineyards, yielding on average three times more wine per acre and ripening two weeks earlier than Pinot.

Few places were struck more severely than Beaune, the birthplace of Gamay, where records show a drop in the annual local wine monopoly bid from 65 livres in 1394 to just 27 livres in 1400.

Within that same time period, the proportion of financially solvent households in Beaune dropped from 41% to 13%.

While the ordinance targeted Gamay, the political independence of cities like Dijon and Beaune also fell victim to its enforcement, a possibly intended effect for a ruler seeking to extend his authority.

French Transport Minister Clement Beaune had called the stoppage “unacceptable,” insisting on the need for a quick solution.