Alongside the announcement, their daughter Jeanne, the 6th generation of Delaunay winemakers, will be joining as the company’s third family winemaker. She will head up the premium Languedoc brand, Abbotts & Delaunay, to represent the start of a new era and a new vision for the family business.

“In Delaunay Vins & Domaines we at last have a name which not only coherently reflects the image of all our brands, our wines and our domaines, but also combines our joint identity as both Languedociens and Burgundians which is very important to us,” said Laurent Delaunay.

Jeanne Delaunay will be heavily involved in the vinification of the wines and in the brand’s strategic approach and marketing, also working on Delaunay Vins & Domaines’ CSR policy. She brings wine-making experience gained with industry names such as the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Sonoma, Thibault Liger-Belair and Romanée Conti.

“My main objectives for the brand are to continue to evolve the style of these haut-couture wines made on Languedoc terroirs but in a Burgundy way. 

“First by focusing on our own 35ha of vines at Domaine de la Metairie d’Alon in Limoux and Domaine de la Lause at Monze, then supplementing this by buying in fruit and wines, developing partnerships with growers and by putting a focus on terroirs with a strong identity and single vineyards,” added Jeanne Delaunay.