What a corking idea: how to produce your own wine in France
Hobby vineyards can be for anyone – and if you find the right property and are smart about your set up, you can serve up your own local wine to family and friends with no additional costs
Does spending warm summer nights in France sipping the wine you’ve made from your private vineyard sound appealing? If so, then have you considered buying a hobby vineyard in France?
Far from being a commercial venture requiring a complete change of career and absolute dedication, a lifestyle vineyard means just that. A property that will shape your life in the French countryside, yet be one that you have complete control over.
A French lifestyle with wine that’s as local as it gets
Due to the flexibility of how you look after the vines on your land, buying a hobby vineyard in France is truly an option that anyone interested in making small amounts of wine from their home in France could consider.
No experience necessary with a hobby vineyard in France
Looking after a hobby vineyard in France doesn’t have to dominate your time. You could get a local vineyard to manage and harvest the grapes. Of course, if you’re keen to learn the ropes yourself that’s also no problem – although it is more time consuming.
Many hobby vineyard owners get help from a local expert for the first season or two while they get up to speed. While working with a local vineyard sounds like it could be expensive, in practice it could just be a cost-free mutually-agreeable deal. It depends on the size of your land, and the number and condition of your vines.
If you want to keep all the wine yourself, then of course there would be a cost. Often though, it doesn’t have to cost anything at all. Many owners have their vines looked after for free. The vineyard keeps the majority of the wine and pays the owner with a certain number of bottles each year.
How to find the right hobby vineyard for you
Anyone tempted by the idea of buying a hobby vineyard in France might be surprised at the wide range available. Although many vineyard properties are “off-market” – the market operates in a highly discreet fashion. So sign up with a good agency. Leggett Immobillier have a vineyard property section and experts on hand to help you.
