The evaluation of vineyards and vineyard sites and their classification into quality classes has an ancient tradition in Burgundy, France. The first classifications date back to the Middle Ages and originate from the Cistercian monks. In 1855, the natural scientist Jules Lavalle (1820-1880) published the work "Histoire et Statistique de la Vigne de Grands Vins de la Côte-d'Or", which was largely based on the work "Statistique de La Vigne Dans Le Departement de La Cote-D'Or" published by Denis Morelot in 1831. Lavalle's book is also considered Burgundy's "answer" to the famous Bordeaux classification published in the same year.
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