How To Buy A Vineyard

From acquiring the perfect estate to bottling world-class wine

For the truly wealthy, one elegant solution to increased tariffs on French wine readily presents itself: buy your own vineyard. Despite burgeoning interest and a surge in acquisitions eating into available inventory, there are over 80 vineyards and wine estates currently listed for sale with Vineyards Bordeaux, the Christie's International Real Estate affiliate and market leader located in what is arguably the world’s most famous wine region.

Chinese buyers now own about 170 vineyard estates, or chateaux, in Bordeaux, Vineyards-Bordeaux co-founder and executive partner Michael Baynes tells Waxim—billionaire Jack Ma, Chinas richest man, reportedly owns several of them—and the uptick in investment means that “Bordeaux wine estates are more popular today than we have seen for a long time.” Which we predict also means that prices will only go up from here.

As an example, an attractive property with a historic mansion with origins dating back to the late 1700s and about 200 acres, a quarter of which is planted with the classic Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, is listed for about $4.5 million.

Of course France is just one of the world’s great wine-producing countries that also offers attractive luxury real estate opportunities. Ihe oenophile investor has options including ‘Tuscany in Italy, Argentinas Mendoza and the Napa Valley, to name a famous few. Baynes points out that selecting a vineyard depends on an investor's personal goals and business strategy. His clients’ wishlist often includes a desirable residence, attractive landscape, vines producing top-quality fruit, well-stocked cellars, state-of-the-art equipment and a fully operational winery with “strong Parker points’—referring to Robert Parker, the world’s most influential wine critic.