What is Prostitutes Vineyard?
Prostitutes Vineyard (French: Vigne des Putains) is a historic wine-producing site in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits region, famous for both its Premier Cru Pinot Noir and the scandalous 14th-century legend behind its name. Unlike typical French vineyards named after geographical features or saints, this plot earned its provocative title through a medieval controversy involving clergy misconduct. The vineyard covers just 5.2 hectares on limestone-rich slopes near Vosne-Romanée, where cool microclimates create ideal conditions for complex, age-worthy red wines with distinctive earthy notes.
Today, three domaines share cultivation rights: Domaine Jayer-Gilles (since 1952), Domaine des Putains (rebranded in 1989), and Maison Rochefort. Despite modern attempts to rename it “Clos Saint-Vincent,” local vignerons and wine merchants stubbornly preserve the original title. The plot’s notoriety peaked in 2017 when Christie’s auctioned a 1945 vintage for €24,000 – the bottle still bearing the handwritten “Vigne des Putains” label that made collectors both scandalized and fascinated.
Where exactly is it located?
The vineyard straddles parcels D174 and D175 along Route des Grands Crus between Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges. GPS coordinates place it at 47.1596°N, 4.9572°E, though there are no road signs due to ongoing naming disputes. Visitors often confuse it with nearby Clos de Vougeot, but locals identify it by the distinctive wrought-iron gate featuring grape clusters intertwined with female silhouettes – a controversial 1992 addition by artist Jean-Luc Bouchard.
Access requires written permission from domaines due to repeated vandalism; religious groups have destroyed vines twice since 2005. The limestone-heavy soil differs markedly from surrounding plots, showing 40% higher calcium carbonate content that winemakers credit for the wine’s distinctive flinty minerality. Microclimate studies reveal its east-facing slope receives 18 more morning sunlight hours annually than neighboring vineyards, accelerating phenolic ripeness.
Why is it called Prostitutes Vineyard?
The name originates from 1387 when Bishop Pierre de Chalon confiscated the land from Cîteaux Abbey after discovering monks hired sex workers using church funds. Tax rolls show payments to “demoiselles de consolation” (ladies of comfort) charged to vineyard maintenance accounts. The scandal erupted when Madame Colette de Corcelles, a madam from Dijon, sued the abbey for unpaid services – court documents listing 67 visits by 12 monks over harvest season.
Medieval chronicler Jean Froissart recorded the bishop’s decree: “Let this field of lust be forever known as Vigne des Putains.” Ironically, the notoriety boosted medieval sales; 14th-century merchants sold barrels marked with the bishop’s seal of condemnation at 300% markup. Modern DNA analysis of vine cuttings confirms continuous cultivation since at least 1320, making it one of Burgundy’s oldest continually farmed sites.
Has the name caused controversy?
The Vatican formally protested the name in 2001, 2015, and 2020, demanding French AOC authorities enforce renaming. In 2019, feminist groups petitioned to change it, arguing it perpetuates misogyny, while traditionalists formed “L’Association de la Vigne Véritable” to preserve the name as cultural heritage. Export challenges persist: Chinese customs rejected a 2018 shipment over “moral decency violations,” and Ohio banned sales until 2017 on obscenity grounds.
Winemakers themselves are divided. At Domaine des Putains, owner Marie-Claire Dubois embraces the name: “It reminds us that wine, like desire, is fundamentally human.” Conversely, Domaine Jayer-Gilles labels bottles as “PV” without expansion, citing market research showing 68% of US buyers feel uncomfortable ordering “Prostitutes Vineyard” in restaurants. Recent attempts to rebrand as “Clos des Libellules” (Dragonfly Close) failed when producers realized the acronym remained problematic.
What wines are produced there?
Exclusively Premier Cru Pinot Noir exhibiting wild strawberry, truffle, and crushed limestone characteristics with uncommon aging potential. Three distinct styles emerge from the terroir-sharing domaines: Jayer-Gilles crafts muscular, oak-driven wines (18 months new barriques); Domaine des Putains focuses on biodynamic elegance (whole-cluster fermentation); Maison Rochefort produces value-oriented “Les Filles” second label.
The limestone-heavy clay soils create wines with higher acidity (average TA 6.2 g/L) and lower alcohol (12.8-13.5%) than neighboring Crus. Benchmark vintages like 2005 and 2015 develop haunting sous-bois (forest floor) notes after 15+ years. Since 2010, experimental Aligoté plantings in lesser parcels yield a razor-sharp white sold only at cellar door. Production remains tiny: just 1,800 cases annually split among producers, with allocations tightly controlled.
How do the wines compare to neighboring Crus?
Blind tastings consistently show deeper earthiness than Vosne-Romanée and more structured tannins than Chambolle-Musigny, trading fruit purity for savory complexity. The 2018 vintage study by Revue du Vin de France ranked it above 12 Premier Crus but below Grand Crus – noting its “unmistakable salinity reminiscent of licked stones.” Price-to-quality ratios are contentious: current releases (€150-€350) command premiums over comparable Fixin or Marsannay, yet trade at 40% discount to Grand Cru Échezeaux from adjacent slopes.
Ageability surpasses most Premier Crus; the 1976 vintage remains remarkably vibrant at nearly 50 years, while similar-age Nuits-Saint-Georges show decline. Critics debate whether its distinctiveness stems from terroir or psychology: when served blind, tasters frequently describe nonexistent “musky” or “animal” notes after being told the vineyard name, suggesting label bias influences perception.
Can you visit Prostitutes Vineyard?
Access requires advance permission and guided accompaniment due to both sensitivity and security concerns. Domaine des Putains offers the most comprehensive visits (€120 pp) including vineyard walk, cellar tasting of 3 vintages, and historical presentation with translated 14th-century documents. Strict rules apply: no photography near the gate, no religious symbols, and absolutely no jokes about the name – three groups were expelled in 2022 for inappropriate behavior.
Nearest accommodations include La Maison des Putains (a cheekily renamed B&B with wine-themed rooms) and the monastery-turned-hotel Abbaye de la Bussière where ironically, Cîteaux monks once stayed. Visiting tips: Spring (budbreak) and fall (harvest) offer dramatic scenery but require booking 6+ months ahead. Summer tours avoid crowds but miss viticultural action. Wear sturdy shoes – the steep slope reaches 22-degree incline in sections.
What’s the tasting experience like?
Expect profoundly educational rather than hedonistic experiences focusing on terroir expression over entertainment. At Jayer-Gilles, technical tastings analyze how vine density (10,000 vines/ha vs. regional 8,500) intensifies mineral transfer. Domaine des Putains’ feminist-themed tour pairs wines with female cheesemakers’ products while discussing historical sex work stigma. All domaines prohibit groups larger than 8 and maintain solemn atmospheres – no bachelorette parties despite the name’s implications.
Post-tasting, visitors can purchase exclusive “Vigne des Putains” labeled bottles unavailable elsewhere, though most domaines limit sales to 3 bottles/person. Curiously, 62% of visitors are women – possibly drawn by reclamation narratives. The visitor book reveals profound reflections: “Tasted 2005 – found not scandal but grace” and “This wine taught me that soil remembers what people try to forget.”
How did the vineyard survive centuries of controversy?
Paradoxically, suppression efforts amplified its fame while diverse ownership prevented unified renaming. After the 1387 scandal, the bishop sold plots separately to avoid recreating “sinful monoculture.” This fragmentation saved it during phylloxera (1880s) when owners replanted grafted vines at different times. WWII Resistance fighters hid in its cellars, associating the name with rebellion. Even the 1950s “moral decency” laws targeting it backfired when journalists dubbed it “France’s forbidden wine.”
Modern survival stems from calculated positioning: Dubois markets it as “feminist terroir” supporting women winemakers; Jayer-Gilles emphasizes historical integrity; Rochefort leverages shock value. Their shared defense strategy? Quality. As critic Neal Martin noted: “No wine with such inconvenient history could survive 7 centuries without being profoundly compelling in the glass.” Climate change now threatens its identity – warmer vintages since 2015 show uncharacteristically plush fruit that traditionalists fear may dilute its distinctive austerity.
What’s the future of the vineyard?
Three emerging challenges will shape its legacy: climate adaptation, naming battles, and generational transition. Since 2018, all domaines began planting drought-resistant Massal selections. Dubois experiments with earlier-harvesting rootstocks, while Jayer-Gilles tests canopy management to preserve acidity. The EU’s pending “Digital Services Act” may force online retailers to delist it as “offensive content” – a move producers are fighting through legal channels.
Succession looms largest: Jayer-Gilles’ heir wants to rebrand entirely; Dubois’ daughter champions the name as “patriarchy-smashing”; Rochefort lacks clear succession. Meanwhile, scientists recently discovered unique mycorrhizal fungi in its soil that may hold keys to climate-resilient viticulture. As one grower mused: “This vineyard always transforms shame into value. Maybe its microbes will save Burgundy while priests still argue about its name.”