Domaine de la Romanée-Conti: Burgundy’s Legendary Grand Cru Estate
Burgundy’s iconic Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, from centuries-old heritage and hallowed terroirs to winemaking artistry and global renown.
Heritage & History
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) stands on centuries of winemaking heritage in the village of Vosne-Romanée, Burgundy. The estate’s origins trace back to 1232, when the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Vivant acquired a 1.8-hectare vineyard that would later become Romanée-Conti. In 1631, the de Croonembourg family purchased this prized plot (along with the neighboring La Tâche) and renamed it La Romanée. The vineyard’s most illustrious early chapter came in 1760, when Louis-François, Prince of Conti – cousin to King Louis XV – won a bidding war for La Romanée, appending his name to the cru. Thus “Romanée-Conti” was born, already renowned for its exceptional quality even in the 18th century. The prince reserved its wine solely for his own table, cementing a legendary status even before the French Revolution saw his lands confiscated and auctioned.
After passing through various hands post-Revolution, the estate entered a modern era under Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet, who purchased Romanée-Conti in 1869. Duvault-Blochet expanded the holdings dramatically, adding esteemed Grand Cru vineyards – Richebourg, Échezeaux and Grands Échezeaux – and later acquiring a 4-hectare portion of Les Gaudichots adjacent to La Tâche. These acquisitions laid the groundwork for the contiguous Grand Cru domaine recognized today. By the early 20th century, DRC had also assumed control of La Tâche itself: in 1933 the domaine purchased La Tâche from the Liger-Belair family and, after legal formalities, merged it with Les Gaudichots to form the enlarged monopole La Tâche Grand Cru in 1936.
The ownership structure that defines DRC was established during the turmoil of World War II. In 1942, then-owner Edmond de Villaine sold a half share of the estate to Henri Leroy, a successful local négociant. This partnership between the de Villaine and Leroy families endures to this day, with multiple heirs jointly owning the domaine. The infusion of Leroy’s resources and expertise mid-century was instrumental in elevating DRC’s reputation as Burgundy’s leading producer. Throughout the late 20th century, co-owner Aubert de Villaine became the public face of the domaine (succeeding his father in the 1950s), while the Leroy family’s influence was notably represented by Lalou Bize-Leroy, who co-directed DRC alongside de Villaine from 1974 until 1992. After Mme. Bize-Leroy’s departure, her nephew Henri-Frédéric Roch served as co-director for the Leroy side until his passing in 2018. The continuity of family stewardship has been remarkable: the de Villaines have retained their half of DRC since 1869, and the Leroys since 1942.
Entering the 21st century, DRC has seen a careful generational handover. In late 2021, at age 82, Aubert de Villaine retired after more than 50 years at the helm. He passed stewardship of the domaine’s management to his nephew, Bertrand de Villaine, who now partners with Perrine Fenal (Lalou Bize-Leroy’s daughter) in representing the two families. Alongside this leadership transition, a new cellar master – Alexandre Bernier, formerly of Domaine Leflaive – was appointed to carry on DRC’s winemaking traditions in 2022. Despite these changes, the ethos of DRC remains unchanged: an unbroken commitment to excellence and respect for its heritage. Over the centuries, the domaine has survived phylloxera (Romanée-Conti’s venerable pre-World War II vines were replanted in 1947–48 after yielding one last mythical vintage in 1945), world wars, and economic upheavals, only to emerge ever more revered. Today, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti stands not only as a living link to Burgundian history but as a benchmark of traditional family-owned vigneron culture in an era when many other grand domaines have succumbed to corporate buyers.