Burgundy For Kings, Champagne For Duchesses, Claret For Gentlemen…Four Great European Vineyard Bargains
“With la vendage (that is, the grape harvest) taking place throughout Europe right now,” writes Overseas Retirement Letter Editor Lucy Culpepper, “and whisperings of a ‘great’ year in France (perhaps to rival 2009), some of us are thinking and dreaming about owning a vineyard of our own.
“Watching the sun set over grape-laden hills while you sip a glass of superb Cabernet Sauvignon…
“Life doesn’t get sweeter.
“On the other hand, owning a vineyard is hard work!
“So why not instead live close to or surrounded by one? This way you can delight in the surroundings, savor the pickings, but avoid the toil.
“With that in mind, here are four great European vineyard bargains…
Vineyard Bargain #1: Italy, Val Fegana, Tuscany
A perfect pied-a-terre in Chianti wine country, this quaint, 55-square-meter, one-bedroom, one-bath village house includes original cotto floors, pietra serena fireplace, beams (all painted white), cotto vessel originally used for the laundry, and chestnut wood stairs. The property includes a ground-floor sitting room, kitchen, and wooden stairs to a lower ground floor with large landing leading to a patio, double bedroom, and bathroom. There are two cellars, a patio, and a small lavender garden. Price: 85,000 euro
Vineyard Bargain #2: France, Near Roquebrun, Languedoc
Nestled in the heart of St. Chinian’s AOC wine region, this 106-square-meter, two-apartment property lies in a tiny hamlet just outside the river-side village of Roquebrun. Each apartment has a separate entrance, but the two communicate via an internal door. The ground floor includes a living room with a kitchen corner, one double bedroom, and shower room with a toilet. The first floor has a living room with a fireplace and a wood-burning stove, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and a shower room with a toilet. Price: 121,900 euro, including agency commission
Vineyard Bargain #3: Spain, Garcia, Tarragona (Catalonia)
This interesting finca (farm) with 95 meters frontage on the river Ebro lies on the southern limit of the Penedès wine-growing region of Catalonia (renowned for the Torres and Freixenet wineries). The two-story, 111-square-meter house is built on the site of an old mill. It includes a Ground-floor terrace, a living room with a log-burning stove, a kitchen with adjacent dining area, and a WC. On the first floor two double bedrooms and a bathroom lead out to a wood-framed terrace (needs completion).
Own well provides the property’s water. The finca includes 15,454-square-meters of flat land (ideal for horses), with 6,900 square meters of that farmed as a well-kept peach tree orchard generating an annual income between 5,000 and 6,000 euro. Price: 137,000 euro
Vineyard Bargain #4: France, Close to Tournus, Saône et Loire (Burgundy)
This pretty, two-bedroom, 130-square-meter property is in a ‘Chardonnay village’ in the Saône et Loire department of France. On the ground floor is a living room with a fireplace, a corner kitchen, a laundry room, a bathroom, and a separate WC. The first floor includes two large bedrooms and a dressing room. There are two more first-floor rooms to be renovated; these lead out to a large terrace. The property also has a wine cellar, a 100-square-meter enclosed courtyard, and a 130-square-meter barn, suitable for conversion to a gîte (B&B). The property is in a small hamlet without services, but there are regular deliveries of bread, croissants, and other produce. Price: 160,000 euro
Kathleen Peddicord
