Domeniile Franco-Române (DFR) represents the vision of oenologist Denis Thomas, who recognized the value of the terroir in Dealu Mare and decided to cultivate organic vines, becoming a pioneer in this field in Romania. In 2003, DFR transitioned to organic farming, obtaining Ecocert certification in 2006 for Romania’s first organic wine. In 2019, three Romanian investors – Mihnea Olariu, Mihnea Mihalache, and Andrei Pănoiu – began acquiring the vineyard and winery from Denis Thomas, a process completed in 2020. The Persu-Eminescu vineyard, owned by Mihnea Olariu’s great-grandparents, Alexandru Persu and Ecaterina Eminescu, granddaughter of the great poet Mihai Eminescu, was restored and incorporated into the DFR. Reclaimed in 2002, this estate, along with Denis Thomas’s original vineyards, now spans 85 hectares and produces high-quality grapes and wines.

Under Mihnea Olariu’s leadership, DFR has modernized and expanded, while the winery has undergone an upgrade, doubling its production capacity.