Long before Lalou-Bize Leroy started up her eponymous
domaine in 1988, Maison Leroy had built itself a reputation as the finest
negociant house in Burgundy.
Originally founded by Francois Leroy in 1868, the
house became famous for its collection of old vintages as much as being a key
shareholder in and global distributor of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti until 1992
(except for the United States and the UK.) Francois' great grand-daughter,
Lalou-Bize, joined the family firm in 1955 and then became Directeur General in
1971. With the help of investment from a
Japanese distributor, Lalou purchased vineyards and created Domaine Leroy. Setting about a relentless search for quality
and embarking on a pioneering bio-dynamic revolution, she soon became one of
Burgundy's icons.