The Pouilly-Fumé vineyards date back to Gallo-Roman times, along with the remains of the Roman road that passed through this village. From the 12th century onwards, the Augustin and Benedictine monks spearheaded the development of the vineyards. They increased vine cultivation to fuel the production of communion wine. In 1642, the opening of the Briare canal provided new stimulus to the wines of Pouilly Fumé. The waterborne routes gave access to Fontainebleau, Versailles, Paris, and even lands as distant as England, where the nobility and bourgeoisie were particularly partial to this beverage.
