Pierre André founds the family estate in 1927
Born in 1895 in Nancy into a modest family, he was working in Paris when the First World War broke out. Taken as a prisoner of war, he was profoundly affected by the experience, which instilled in him a remarkable courage and unwavering determination. He continued working in Paris and began selling his first Burgundy wines in the 1920s, eventually setting up his own company with his wife, Ida Fage.
He fell in love with Burgundy, and as business prospered, the couple acquired, in 1927, the “Château with the yellow roof tiles” in Aloxe-Corton, along with their first vineyard in the same village. This marked the foundation of what would become our Domaine or estate. His vision and entrepreneurial spirit continue to guide us to this day.
A brief history
Pierre André was a veritable pioneer. In 1932, he acquired cellars and winemaking facilities in Aloxe-Corton, followed by the purchase of a parcel in Clos de Vougeot in 1933. In 1937, he was named a Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour. A year later, he ventured into the Parisian restaurant world, acquiring the famous and fashionable “Reine Pédauque”. There, he celebrated the pleasures of wine and gastronomy, as evidenced by the legendary “Three Magnum Dinners”, which became a must for Paris’s elite!
In August 1940, Pierre André purchased the Clos des Langres, which had been up for sale for over a decade, along with additional vineyard parcels. He continued to acquire land, shaping the vineyard holdings of the Domaine much as we know them today.
After the war, he further expanded his vision. In 1949, he acquired the Hôtel de Brian in Beaune (formerly owned by the Montoy family) and transformed it into the Reine Pédauque Wine Exhibition Cellars, a true innovation in marketing and wine tourism at the time. It attracted thousands of visitors each year. Burgundy wine tourism owes him a great deal, and we are proud to carry on his legacy by warmly welcoming all wine lovers to our Domaine d’Ardhuy.
In 1955, health issues forced him to pass the torch to his son-in-law, Gabriel Liogier-d’Ardhuy. Pierre André died in 1972.