Land areas for growing wines are limited throughout France and are graded according to the quality of the soil/grapes produced. The main categories in order of quality are:

AOC (Appelation d'origine Controlee), VDP (Vin de Pays) and VDT (vin de Table).

The quantity of wine produced is also controlled. The average is AOC - 45-55 Hectolitres, and Non AOC 80-90 Hectolitres per hectare of vines (1 Hectolitre = 100 Litres). Aoc also dictates the varieties of grapes; to protect the typicality of the wine from each region. The trend toward producing single grape wines such as Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet etc has increased the demand and value of non-AOC zoned land.

The work in a vineyard is divided into 3 distinct stages:-

Farming - pruning, treating and harvesting the grapes. This work can be done by employed staff (1 man per 10-15 hectares), by contract labour or enthusiastic owners.

Wine Making - vinification, controlling fermentation, blending different grape varieties and bottling.

Marketing - the most difficult of the three jobs: to achieve maximum profitability from a vineyard the wine must be sold in bottles. Vitually all wines have a potential market and the success of a vineyard depends on the ability to sell at the optimum time at the highest price and not from necessity for cash flow.

Each of these stages can be contracted out to professionals to the point of handing over the running of an estate in return for a percentage of the production (average 1/3rd)

The sale price of an estate will depend on certain factors: wine region, quality of real estate, condition of vines, and clientele.

Our answer is yes, but it is not easy and often takes 3 to 5 years.

There are qualified people available to assist at every stage and with time the owner can become involved to whatever extent the time allows. Leisure and Land (France) can assist in the legal and fiscal restructuring of an estate as well as recruiting staff or contractors.