Stuck between Brad Pitt and Kylie Minogue, the young winegrowers of Provence are struggling to produce their rosé

It is difficult for young farmers who do not take over a family farm to find a place in the sun. Coveted, the wine-growing lands located in the Côtes-de-Provence appellation contrôlée sell for a high price.

Depending on the geographical location, its proximity to the coast and the related buildings, the hectare is negotiated at 20,000 euros and can “happily exceed 100,000 euros”, introduces Bruno Vieuville, director of Safer du Var, body responsible for regulating the agricultural land market. And to continue: “In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in land movements in Paca and particularly in the Var, with many rural properties sold and a very high demand for wine-growing land”.

From Kylie Minogue to Coco Chanel

Properties that seduce celebrities, such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who pioneered by buying, almost ten years ago now, a very charming estate in Miraval – for which they are working hard in the part of their divorce. Last May, George Clooney imitated them last May before being followed by Kylie Minogue this fall. Added to this is the appetite noticed over the past two years “of captains of industry wanting to diversify their capital” or of the two French luxury giants, “LVMH and Chanel”, informs the departmental director of Safer. This is how Chanel became the largest wine owner in Porquerolles.

Movements “outside the market”, in which Safer is struggling to intervene and play its regulatory role by allocating land to farmers with projects. The latter can only intervene when 100% of the shares of a farm are put up for sale, leaving the way free for subtle arrangements. a
law Project “To ensure the regulation of access to agricultural land” is well under study, but it seems stuck.

Install young people and change the law

Faced with prohibitive prices, or almost, the installation of new winegrowers is difficult. In an attempt to remedy this, last year Safer created Terre Adonis, a cooperative society of collective interest (SCIC), with the Region and the Agricultural Cooperation. Its goal: to help the installation of new farmers in Paca. “We have seen in recent years the arrival of more and more profiles in professional retraining, that is to say people who do not come from the agricultural sector”, notes Camille Gonzales, director of Terre Adonis. “For them, it is very difficult to raise the funds to buy both the land and the equipment. This is where we come in ”.

Such as Aurélien, who was able to acquire 38 hectares including 9 of vines in AOC Côtes-de-Provence. After pre-emption by Safer, Terre Adonis bears the land charge while the young winegrower launches his business. “The idea is to give them time to develop their business and once they are well seated, we bet that the banks will follow.”

The price of bottles has doubled in ten years and the brand is exporting very well

“It is a mark of attractiveness and dynamism”, observes Éric Pastorino, president of the AOC Côtes-de-Provence, which includes 20,000 hectares of vines. “But it is true that it is very complicated for farmers who have not inherited land to settle”. This is all the more so as the Vins de Provence brand enjoys a good reputation, is exported very well and even better and better. Between 2009 and 2019,
the share of Provence wine exports rose from 7% to 34%, becoming more important than supermarket sales. An increase in volume accompanied by good growth in value, going from 2.8 euros excluding tax for 75 cl in 2009 to 5.25 euros ten years later. Some rare vintages can even exceed 100 euros per bottle. In these conditions, it is difficult not to want your place in the sun and there are many investors. “A wine estate in the Var is a dream for everyone,” laughs Camille Gonzales, from Terre Adonis.

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