Domaine Leroy / Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Lalou Bize-Leroy

Domaine Leroy is run by Lalou Bize-Leroy and is one of the best-known wine estates in Burgundy. Since 1989, the products have been produced according to the rules of biodynamic agriculture and certified by Ecocert. The wines are among the most expensive in Burgundy.

The history

Born in 1894, Henri Leroy was a third-generation wine and brandy merchant. His most important market was Germany and he maintained business relations with Hugo Asbach. In the 1930s, he became a good customer of the well-known Domaine de la Romanée-Conti winery . He later developed a friendship with co-owner Edmond Gaudin de Villaine. When the estate ran into financial difficulties at the beginning of the 1940s, Henri Leroy bought Jacques Chambon’s share in 1942. It was not until the death of Edmond Gaudin de Villaine in 1950 that Leroy became the estate’s second managing director. He also retained his trading company Leroy S.A., which took over the exclusive distribution of the wines of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

In 1974, his daughter Lalou Bize-Leroy took over the management of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti together with Aubert de Villaine. However, the business relationship broke down in 1992. However, the conflict had been smouldering for some time.

In 1988, Lalou bought the run-down Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from Charles Noëllat for 65 million francs . To finance the purchase, Lalou and her sister Pauline sold a third of the shares in the trading company Leroy S.A.

The wines

Only red wine from the Pinot Noir grape variety and white wine from the Chardonnay grape variety are produced . When pressing the wines, Leroy leaves all the stalks in the mash to give the wine more tannins. Mash fermentation lasts 15 days and is temperature-controlled, with a maximum temperature of 33 °C. The wines are fermented 100 per cent in new vats. The wines are aged in 100 per cent new barrique barrels.

Domaine Leroy owns plots in the Grand Cru sites Corton-Charlemagne (0.43 ha, white wine), Corton-Renardes (0.50 ha), Richebourg (0.78 ha), Romanée-Saint-Vivant (0.99 ha), Clos de Vougeot (1.91 ha), Musigny (0.27 ha), Clos de la Roche (0.67 ha), Latricières-Chambertin (0.57 ha) and Chambertin (0.50 ha). In addition, the Domaine has 8 Premier Cru wines from Volnay-Santenots “Les Santenots du Milieu”, Savigny-les-Beaune “Les Narbantons”, Nuits-Saint-Georges “Les Vignerondes”, Nuits-Saint-Georges “Les Boudots”, Vosne-Romanée “Aux Brûlées”, Vosne-Romanée “Les Beaux Monts”, Chambolle-Musigny “Les Charmes” and Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Combottes”.

Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru 1996

The Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru 1996 is an exceptional Pinot Noir that masterfully showcases the depth and refinement of the renowned Richebourg Grand Cru vineyard. This wine combines impressive complexity with remarkable elegance, making it a true masterpiece of Burgundy.