A leading Burgundy winegrower is worried that corner-cutting is endangering the future quality of the region's wine.

Aubert de Villaine, co-director of premier Burgundy brand Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, suggests some growers in the region have been replacing established vines with inferior versions.

Speaking to the New York Times, Mr de Villaine says that this is to make the harvesting process easier, but the newer vines produce lower-quality grapes and, in turn, inferior wines.

There is archaeological evidence of winemaking taking place in Burgundy as early as the second century AD, but many believe that viticulture was taking place prior to the Roman invasion of Gaul.

The area remains steeped in history, and Mr de Villaine worries that disregard for the quality of the vines will lead to changes elsewhere, permanently altering the landscape.

"Burgundy is not the only place where wine has been made for a very long time," he told the newspaper.

"But it is the only place where the will to make wine in this way has been transmitted from generation to generation, through all kinds of difficulties.

"If any of this disappeared, it would be a big loss for mankind."

Burgundy has now followed the lead taken by the Saint Emilion area of Bordeaux and applied to become a recognised Unesco World Heritage Site.

Mr de Villaine said that the primary reason for the application is to send a clear message to Burgundy vineyard owners that the land, the system of climats and the terroir are truly special.

"This is the best way to show people how precious this is, what they have in their hands," he explained.

While Domaine de la Romanee-Conti wants Burgundy to remain the same, the estate is not afraid to explore new sales markets.

Charles Curtis MW, head of wine for Christie's Asia, believes that strong recent results for Domaine de la Romanee-Conti in sales rooms have indicated that there is a growing interest in Burgundy, and Romanee-Conti in particular, from Chinese investors.