Over the last five generations, going right back to the middle of the nineteenth century, there have been vines – as well as cereal crops and dairy cows – on the small family-owned property.

The grape harvest in 1935

The wine was made on the property and sold to local shopkeepers.

Around 1935 my grandfather, Amédée Roche, along with several other winemakers decided to group together to found the Monbazillac Wine Cooperative.  A little while later the Cooperative bought the Chateau de Monbazillac which it still owns.

Working the vines with yoked cattle in1943

In 1946 my parents, Hélène and Gaston Roche, bought the old ruined presbytery in the village of Colombier. They planted many vines, particularly white grape varieties and grapes became their principal crop. They were mainly delivered to the Cooperative although a small quantity of wine was produced on the estate.

The very first bottling of Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure took place in 1968.

As the RN21 main road ran alongside the estate several old buildings were transformed into a tasting cellar and the wine began to be sold to a wider range of customers.