The Estate
At an altitude of over 500m, l'Hestrange overlooks the vineyards, dominating the Saône Valley.
Spanning over a total of 54 acres, including 18 acres of vineyards, the property is located on several levels, with the main house and winery overlooking terraced gardens, woodland, meadows and vineyards.
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The estate is comprised of the historic house, the winery, the wine tasting cellar, the vaulted barrel cellars, the wine storage, a small crypt and a number of outbuildings.
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Since Laurent and Blandine purchased the estate in 2000, they have tried to redefine the property so that it is a functional and beautiful site able to welcome visitors and produce wines that seek to translate the ethos of the estate: tradition and innovation.
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The estate has passed through many hands since it was first established in the 16th Century. Notable figures are the grandparents of Antoine de St Exupéry, famed pilot and author and Louis Félix Billard who's work in Egypt lead him to bring back the sphinxs which adorn the terrace and are the emblem of our wines.
In the 12th century, there was a "tour de guet" (look-out tower) situated on the slope of a hill, overlooking the Saône Valley and facing the Alps. It is now in the North wing of the house.
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During the 18th century, the Nicolau, Lords of Montribloud, are said to have built a hunting lodge.
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At the beginning of the 19th century, Madame Barthelemy de Ferrus de Plantigny, née de Montribloud, inherited it. Then it passed by marriage to the Romanet de Lestrange (great-grand-parents of the well-known pilot and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) who gave the name of Lestrange or l'Hestrange to the estate.
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Around this time, the house was redecorated and underwent several transformations. A remnant from the new decorating scheme was a set of unique block printed panoramic wallpapers showing the Ports of France by the renowned artist Joseph Dufour (1754-1827). This wall paper was only produced three times and was displayed in the East entrance.
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In 1889, Monsieur Louis Félix Billard from Alexandria (Egypt) bought the estate. He brought back from one of his trips two sphinxes which stand on the terrace today. His love of Egypt is perpetrated in the design of the gardens: obelisks, pyramids...
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In April 2000, Laurent Metge-Toppin, Oenologist, wine broker in London, and great-grand-nephew of Théodore de Lestrange, bought back the estate, with his wife Blandine, directing with passion the challenging project of restoring the property and its gardens to reflect the harmony and individuality sought after in the wines.
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Laurent and Blandine and their children moved to the property to run it full-time and to enable the transformation of its wines, gardens and buildings in July 2007.
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In October 2009, a devastating fire destroyed the historic house, the unique wallpaper and many original features. Only the four exterior walls and two of the vaulted cellars remained. The essence of the house was carefully reinstated over the year long restoration process, keeping in mind the qualities it once had and rebuilding the house using modern techiques and materials.
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History
1700
1900
2000
2007
2009
1100
1800
