Grande Coutume

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The Grande Coutume (English Great Custom) was a principal export tax imposed by the British on products from the Gascony, Bordeaux and Poitou regions. In 1203, King John of England exempted the towns of Bordeaux, Bayonne and Dax from the tax in exchange for support against King Philip II of France. The following year, the towns of La Rochelle and Poitou were also granted exemption.

The lifting of the tax allowed for open access of Bordeaux Wine to the English market, greatly increasing its prominence. [1]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Hugh Johnson, Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 142. Simon and Schuster 1989
 
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