July 24, 2023 – Florence, Italy / Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA – Market leading Italian wine-dynasty, Marchesi Frescobaldi, announced today the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase Domaine Roy & fils, one of Oregon’s most prestigious wine producers located in the heart of the Willamette Valley. The transaction is expected to close before the end of July 2023.
Lamberto Frescobaldi, President Marchesi Frescobaldi commented “At this stage of our expansion we decided to seize the opportunity to acquire the beautiful Domaine Roy & fils winery in Oregon, one of the best regions in the world for Pinot Noir. To become part of such a community is a dream come true. On behalf of the Frescobaldi Family I would like to thank Marc-André Roy for offering us the opportunity in Oregon to continue to do what we do best, cultivate beautiful vineyards, produce wines and offer our customers iconic products”.
Domaine Roy & fils was founded in 2012 by Marc-André Roy with Jared Etzel, continuing in the footsteps of their fathers who had partnered to establish Beaux Freres in 1991. To accompany the Roy family, in their vision of a second-generation vineyard, 26 friends from Quebec took part in the venture. Domaine Roy & fils has quickly joined the ranks of Oregon’s celebrated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers. They have enjoyed uniformly high praise for many of the wines produced to date.
With the most recent plantings coming to maturity, the estate’s 40 acres of vineyard in two locations now supply all of the grapes for the Domaine Roy & fils offerings. The plantings are exclusively Pinot Noir (35 acres) and Chardonnay (5 acres). The vineyards are farmed 100% organic and without irrigation.
The Domaine Roy & fils winery and Iron Filbert vineyard are located 45 minutes south-west of Portland near the town of Dundee in the Dundee Hills AVA, home to more elite wineries than any other part of the Willamette Valley. The second vineyard (Quartz Acorn) is located 25 minutes west of the winery in the prestigious Yamhill-Carlton AVA, adjacent to Louis Jadot’s Resonance Vineyard and the Jackson Family’s Gran Moraine Vineyard.
Other well-known producers near Domaine Roy & fils include some of Oregon’s best known wineries including Domaine Serene, Beaux Freres and Domaine Drouhin.
Domaine Roy & fils built their winery as a single, two-level building, including hospitality and offices on the upper floor with winery cellar and production on the ground floor. Construction of the winery was completed in 2015 and was designed by Waterleaf Architecture. The cellar uses the natural cooling effect of the ground and has been designed for optimal natural airflow.
Under the terms of the agreement with Frescobaldi, Marc-André Roy will continue joint leadership of the Domaine Roy & fils winery in collaboration with the Frescobaldi family as a member of the Board of Directors and as a minority owner.
Marc-André Roy, Co-founder and President of Domaine Roy & fils, shares the sentiments: “It has been important to continue the work started by my father, founder of Beaux-Freres, when we established Domaine Roy et fils in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, recognized as one of the premier Pinot Noir producing areas in the world.” “We are humbled and thrilled to welcome the Frescobaldi Family as the new owners of Domaine Roy & fils,” said Marc-André. “Their esteemed winemaking heritage and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our own values. We believe this partnership will preserve and elevate the legacy of Domaine Roy & fils”.
Marchesi Frescobaldi was advised on the acquisition by WithersWorldWide’s transatlantic practice with teams in Milan, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Domaine Roy & fils was advised on the transaction by lawyers Davis, Wrights & Tremaine in Portland, Oregon.
International Wine Associates (IWA) initiated this transaction with Frescobaldi on behalf of Domaine Roy & fils and served as their exclusive financial advisors.
About Marchesi Frescobaldi
Frescobaldi embodies the essence of Tuscany from 1300, its extraordinary vocation for viticulture and the diversity of its territories. Frescobaldi’s uniqueness stems precisely from the representation of this diversity, from its estates and from wines which express a kaleidoscope of aromas and sensations, springing from the characteristics of each individual terroir Behind every Frescobaldi wine lies the passion of our agronomists and oenologists, who know our vineyards and terroirs down to the finest detail. Their art, creating quality wines, requires the iron rule of respect. Respect for our tradition, which guides us, even in the midst of innovation or avantgarde solutions. Respect for Tuscany, our living land, to be cultivated in harmony and serenity. Respect for each individual terroir, borne of a unique combination of soil, altitude and microclimate, each giving us a wine with its own matchless personality.
Marchesi Frescobaldi’s nine wine estates are: Castello Pomino (Pomino), Castello Nipozzano (Nipozzano), Tenuta Perano (Gaiole in Chianti), Tenuta Castiglioni (Montespertoli), Tenuta CastelGiocondo (Montalcino), Tenuta Ammiraglia (Magliano in Toscana), Remole (Sieci), Tenuta Calimaia (Montepulciano), and Gorgona. Located in growing areas of Tuscany long-famed for production of extremely high-quality DOC, DOCG, and IGT wines, each estate stands out for its individual soils, environment, and history; Ornellaia and Masseto in Bolgheri, Tenuta Luce in Montalcino, and Attems in the Collio are the four other estates of the Marchesi Frescobaldi Group. This collective galaxy of individual elements gives unique and inimitable characteristics to each Frescobaldi wine, since each estate is managed individually as a stand-alone producer, directing its own viticulture, fermentations, and cellaring.
About Domaine Roy & fils
Domaine Roy & fils, established in 2012 by the Roy family and winemaker Jared Etzel, is renowned for crafting exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines from excellent vineyard sites in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. With an unwavering commitment to uncompromised purity and transparency, the winery captures the true spirit of the region in each bottle it produces.