Champagne Louis Roederer has purchased Domaine Pierre Damoy in Burgundy’s Gevrey-Chambertin, a sale which includes nearly 20 acres of grands crus parcels.
Acquired for an undisclosed sum, the deal includes the vineyards, cellar, and inventory dating to the mid-1990s. With this purchase, Roederer Group expands its prestigious portfolio across three premier French regions: Champagne, Bordeaux, and now Burgundy.
As is typical in Burgundy, the sale was driven by family members seeking to liquidate their shares. Roederer initially acquired a 25% stake in 2025, steadily expanded its position to 39%, and finalized the deal for the remaining shares last week.
To comply with France’s Sempastous law - which limits corporate expansion in the agricultural sector - Roederer surrendered minor vine plots across Damoy, Champagne, Bordeaux, and Bandol. Crucially, however, all of the estate's prized grand cru parcels remained entirely intact.
Champagne Louis Roederer President Frédéric Rouzaud
Under Frédéric Rouzaud and production vice-president Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, a stylistic shift is on the horizon. Pierre Damoy was known for late harvests and a heavy reliance on new oak, yielding dense, powerful expressions of Gevrey-Chambertin.
By contrast, the Roederer philosophy centers on balance, purity, and site expression—seeking to capture the finesse, energy, and floral nuances of Clos de Bèze. To achieve this, the team will likely introduce earlier picking dates, partial whole-cluster fermentation, winery upgrades, and a reassessment of their barrel sourcing.
Under the new ownership, Roederer plans to bottle a larger share of the harvest rather than selling grapes off-site, though all existing commercial agreements will be honored. The estate’s existing winery and cellar capacity are already well-equipped to handle the increased internal vinification, aging, and bottling.
While Pierre Damoy will not remain for the transition, continuity is secured through 28-year-old winemaker Luca Stephens, who knows the domaine intimately, alongside Jean-Michel Monjin serving as temporary manager.
Family-owned Champagne Louis Roederer began expanding beyond its home region in 1982 under Jean-Claude Rouzaud, who bought land in California’s Anderson Valley to establish Roederer Estate. The acquisition drive continued with Port producer Ramos-Pinto in 1990, Château Haut-Beauséjour in 1992, Champagne Deutz and Rhône producer Delas in 1993, and Château de Pez in 1995.
Jean-Claude’s son Frédéric joined the business in 1996 and assumed leadership upon his father's retirement in 2006. He signaled his ambitions early by acquiring Pauillac icon Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, later expanding the portfolio's California footprint with Domaine Anderson, Merry Edwards, Diamond Creek, and Scharffenberger.
In Gevrey-Chambertin, the Damoy holdings have long rivalled the prestige of icons like Armand Rousseau and Domaine Faiveley. Taking the helm from his uncle in 1992, Pierre Damoy oversaw 26 acres of exceptional land. His portfolio was headlined by a commanding nearly 13-acre stake in Chambertin-Clos de Bèze alongside 1.2 acres of Chambertin and 5.5 acres of Chapelle-Chambertin.
Rounding out the estate were smaller plots in Gevrey-Chambertin and Fixin, as well as Clos Tamisot. A four-acre walled monopole situated directly behind the cellar, Clos Tamisot features a significant proportion of historic vines dating back to 1922.
Kanpai!
88 Bamboo Editorial Team
