- Angela Mount
- 2026-06-16
There is a palpable sense of joy when Laurent Delaunay speaks about regaining ownership of his family's family wine business, originally founded in 1893. Reflecting on the remarkable journey that brought the family name back to the forefront of Burgundy, he speaks with both pride and gratitude.
"We've been fortunate," he says. "We've always been dealt good cards and opportunities have come our way. We've seized them and made the most of them."
The story of Laurent and Catherine Delaunay is a remarkable one. The great-grandson of founder Edouard Delaunay succeeded in buying back and rebuilding the family business, which had been sold in the early 1990s. A fifth-generation winemaker, Laurent grew up immersed in the company and joined the business before it was sold to the Boisset family amid difficult economic conditions and his father's declining health.
"We stayed on for a couple of years," he recalls, "but we wanted our independence."
In 1995, Laurent and Catherine moved to the Languedoc, where they founded Delaunay Vins et Domaines. As Laurent puts it, they started with "no money, no vineyards and no winery - but with a dream".
Building an empire
Over the following decade, the couple built a thriving business, including the highly successful Les Jamelles brand. They carefully sourced the best terroirs, gradually acquired vineyards and eventually established their own winery.
In 2003, Burgundy called them home. They acquired a small wine business from a friend and began building a distribution company representing family-owned domaines, while continuing to expand their successful Languedoc operation.
Then, in 2017, came the opportunity to reclaim the family name and restore the historic Edouard Delaunay estate to prominence.
"The opportunity presented itself, and we seized it," says Delaunay. "Things happen for a reason. We relaunched and rebuilt the business from scratch."
The team undertook a complete refurbishment of the winery and cellars at the family-owned Château de Charmont. The pace was extraordinary.
"We moved incredibly quickly and even managed to produce 60,000 bottles from the 2017 vintage," he says.
As work began on rebuilding the house, Delaunay sensed a growing desire among Burgundy's growers to preserve the region's heritage.
"There was a feeling that Burgundy was losing some of its traditions," he explains. "We were humbled by the support we received from grower families who welcomed us back and supported our new dream."
Those long-standing relationships have proved invaluable. Today, Edouard Delaunay works with around 200 growers and producers, many of whom remember the family's history and reputation.
"The loyalty shown to our family has been extraordinary," he says. "It has given us access to exceptional fruit from some of Burgundy's finest growers, and that has been fundamental to our success."
The balancing act
From the outset, Delaunay's ambition was to honour Burgundy's heritage, traditions and strict appellation regulations while responding to the expectations of modern consumers.
"We wanted wines that bring pleasure, not simply wines that are technically correct," he explains.
The revival of Edouard Delaunay has been nothing short of meteoric. Re-establishing the house in a crowded market, where the name had largely faded from view, required both ambition and speed.
"We needed to re-establish ourselves among Burgundy's elite producers and regain our place as one of the region's leading wine houses," he says. "We wanted to express the terroir, history and traditions of Burgundy while creating wines that resonate with today's consumers.
"We sourced fruit from outstanding vineyard sites, worked with the best growers, got our wines back into the market, entered competitions and made ourselves visible."
One of those strategic decisions was to enter the International Wine Challenge from 2020 onwards. The results speak for themselves. Among numerous accolades, Laurent Delaunay was named IWC Red Winemaker of the Year in both 2022 and 2024.
So how has Burgundy changed during the 25 years between the couple's departure and return?
"The region has changed more in the past 25 years than in the previous 80," says Delaunay. "The biggest factor has been climate change.
"In 1995, chaptalisation was often necessary. Today, we regularly achieve excellent ripeness. Quality has risen dramatically and, in many respects, we are living through a golden age for Burgundy."
Yet he is quick to emphasise that success cannot lead to complacency.
"We never rest on our laurels. This is a continual journey. Every day we explore new opportunities in viticulture, terroir expression and winemaking in order to produce the very best wines possible."
Alongside the revival of the Edouard Delaunay name, Laurent himself has become one of Burgundy's most influential figures. In 2024, he was elected President of the BIVB, the Bourgogne Wine Board.
"That was the proudest moment of my life," he says. "Bringing the family name back to the heart of Burgundy's heritage is immensely rewarding, but helping to shape the future of the region is an even greater honour."
This Cinderella story has come full circle, yet there is a sense that the next chapter is only just beginning.
"We're living the family dream," Delaunay concludes. "And this journey has only just begun."
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