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Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, often abbreviated to DRC, is located in Vosne-Romanée in the heart of Burgundy. Jointly owned since 1869 by the de Villaine and Leroy families, the estate cultivates approximately 28 hectares of vines exclusively in Grand Cru appellations, including two legendary monopoles: Romanée-Conti (1.8 hectares) and La Tâche. Crafted from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, its wines rank among the most sought-after and expensive in the world, celebrated for their finesse, aromatic intensity and exceptional ageing potential.
The history of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti begins in 1232, when the Abbey of Saint-Vivant in Vosne acquired 1.8 hectares of vineyard. In 1631, the de Croonembourg family purchased the plot and renamed it Romanée. The defining moment came in 1760: a bidding war erupted between Madame de Pompadour, mistress of King Louis XV, and Louis-François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti. The latter prevailed, paying the massive sum of 8,000 livres, and the vineyard became known as Romanée-Conti. Seized during the French Revolution, the estate was sold in 1794 to Nicolas Defer de la Nouerre, then in 1819 to Julien Ouvrard. In 1869, Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet acquired the property and laid the foundations of the modern domaine by adding Échezeaux, Grands-Échezeaux and Richebourg. In 1933, the estate acquired La Tâche, its second legendary monopole. The Société Civile du Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was formally constituted in 1942, sharing ownership between Duvault-Blochet descendants — the de Villaine and Leroy families. In 1963, parcels in Montrachet were acquired. In 1988, Romanée-Saint-Vivant was purchased outright. Since 2008, the domaine has leased vineyards in Corton. A generational transition took place in 2022: Bertrand de Villaine and Perrine Fenal became co-directors.
The vineyards of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti extend over approximately 28 hectares, distributed exclusively across Grand Cru appellations, primarily in Vosne-Romanée and Flagey-Échézeaux in the Côte de Nuits, with parcels in Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune and in Corton. The two emblematic monopoles — Romanée-Conti (1.8 hectares) and La Tâche (6 hectares) — embody the quintessence of Burgundian terroir. The soils, predominantly limestone-rich clay-limestone, combined with a cool continental climate, provide ideal conditions for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The estate has practised organic farming since 1985 and biodynamics since the 1990s, obtaining Biodyvin certification in 2017. Yields are deliberately kept very low, averaging 25 hl/ha — three vines to produce one bottle. Ploughing is partly done with horses to preserve soil structure. Massal selection from the historic vines of Romanée-Conti, replanted in 1947 after the phylloxera crisis, ensures precious genetic diversity. Manual harvesting, rigorous sorting and vinification with indigenous yeasts using whole clusters reflect a philosophy of minimal intervention in service of terroir expression.
The range of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti comprises eight red Grand Crus and one white, all from exceptional terroirs. The two monopoles represent the absolute pinnacle: Romanée-Conti, produced at approximately 6,000 bottles per year from 1.8 hectares, is considered one of the rarest and most expensive wines in the world, offering unrivalled purity, aristocracy and intensity; La Tâche, the second monopole of 6 hectares producing around 20,000 bottles, combines power and finesse with exceptional ageing potential. The other red cuvées — Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Grands-Échézeaux, Échézeaux and Corton — each express a singular facet of Burgundian Pinot Noir, blending aromatic depth, silky texture and remarkable length. In white, the Montrachet Grand Cru, produced in minuscule quantities, ranks among the most coveted Chardonnays on the planet. The domaine's style is characterised by ethereal elegance, vibrant minerality, fascinating aromatic complexity and ageing capacity that can exceed several decades. Maturation in new French oak barrels, acquired three years in advance and dried by the estate's cooper, remains entirely invisible in the final expression of the wines.
Since 2022, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has been co-directed by Bertrand de Villaine and Perrine Fenal, embodying the generational transition between the two co-owning families. Bertrand de Villaine, nephew of Aubert de Villaine, joined the estate in 2008 and assumed co-directorship in 2022 following extensive training alongside his uncle. Representing the Gaudin de Villaine family, he is the fifth generation at the helm of the domaine, championing a sustainable and environmentally respectful vision. Perrine Fenal, daughter of Lalou Bize-Leroy and representative of the Leroy branch, took up her role as co-director in 2019 following the death of her cousin Henri-Frédéric Roch. Trained within her winemaking family, she carries the heritage and passion for terroir in her blood. Together, they form a complementary partnership, perpetuating a tradition of co-management dating back to 1942. Alongside them, Alexandre Bernier, an oenologist trained at Domaine Chanson, succeeded Bernard Noblet as cellar master in 2018 after eight years of apprenticeship at the estate, ensuring the continuity of expertise passed down through generations.