Passing on vineyards and wineries

In a number of ways yes! Financially, there can be some support. For instance, when a young farmer sets up in business, he/she can apply for a Young Farmer Grant to finance his/her investments.

This grant may be increased when the young person setting up does not come from a winegrowing family or if his/her business plan respects agroecology principles, for example, by signing up to a “Plan de Compétitivité et d’Adaptation d’Exploitation Agricole” (farm competitiveness and adaptation plan) to prevent the use of weedkillers.  A bigger grant may also be obtained if the business plan creates added value and employment. 

In fact it is their DNA to promote sharing and cooperation. Specifically, several of them have indeed introduced specific grants:

Maison Sinnae in Laudun supports all winegrowers wishing to expand or take over a vineyard holding. The young farmers grant comes in the form of an advance of cultivation costs of up to €2,500 per hectare. This grant is renewable for 5 years. For all the others, the grant is identical but capped at 35% of the initial surface area and renewable on request for 3 years. 

Vignerons Propriétaires Associés (VPA), a group created by the merger of several Gard cooperative wineries, grants a zero interest loan to young winegrowers wishing to set up, financing up to 25% of the purchase value with a ceiling of €50,000.