In the Middle Ages, wine experienced an initial period of decline following the barbarian invasions that led to the abandonment of the countryside. Subsequently, mainly thanks to the Benedictine and Cistercian monks, the culture of wine spreads and develops further. In fact, the monks invent new blends and experiment with new techniques. For example, we owe the birth of the method of refermentation in the bottle to an Italian Benedictine.
The Church also strongly influences the development of viticulture: the abbeys, spread throughout Europe, begin to compete for the production of the most refined wines. Meanwhile, in these centuries, France has achieved the primacy in the production of great wines. Between the years 500 and 1000, the nobility and the emerging classes also began to offer wines produced from their vineyards at the banquets.
