In Burgundy, the parcels of vines that are demarcated by dry stone walls are called ‘clos’. While the oldest clos were created in the Middle Ages, they became more widely used in the 19th century. At Clos de Vougeot, the first traces of a clos date back to the 12th century. But it was only in the 14th century that monks divided the vineyard in clos surrounded by stone wall. In addition to limiting soil erosion, the stone walls play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity by hosting different species of insects, lizards and lichens.