Jeroen & Petra(55)

Petra and I had been making wine in our shed in Arnhem for twenty years — small batches from imported grapes. It was a hobby, but it felt like more. When we saw a 6-hectare vineyard for sale near Carcassonne — with existing plantings of syrah, grenache and carignan — we knew: this is it. We sold our house in Arnhem, quit our jobs and became vignerons.

Buying a vineyard in France is serious business. The SAFER (Société d'Aménagement Foncier et d'Établissement Rural) has pre-emption rights on agricultural land. You must submit a dossier with your business plan, experience and financing. SAFER can take over your bid in favor of a local farmer. In our case they approved us — our business plan was solid and we had completed the winemaking course at CFPPA (Centre de Formation Professionnelle et de Promotion Agricole) in Narbonne.

Our wine falls under the AOC Minervois — a protected designation of origin. That means strict rules: which grape varieties you may use, maximum yield per hectare, minimum alcohol content and mandatory tasting evaluation by a committee. The benefits are worth it: an AOC label gives your wine credibility and a higher price. Our bottles sell for €8-12 at the cave, €15-20 in shops.

The first year was brutally hard. Pruning in February, pest control in March, harvest in September — manual labor from sunrise to sunset. We hired saisonniers (seasonal workers) for the vendanges (harvest). The vinification — the winemaking itself — we did in our own cave with stainless steel vats and oak fûts. The equipment investment was €45,000. The Chambre d'Agriculture gave us a prêt d'honneur — an interest-free loan for young farmers.

The administration as a vigneron is substantial. The MSA (Mutualité Sociale Agricole) is social security for agricultural workers — comparable to URSSAF but for farmers. Contributions are about 35% of your income. Then there's customs: every liter of wine leaving your cave must be registered via a document d'accompagnement. The tax office calculates your tax based on your bénéfice agricole. Our expert-comptable in Carcassonne is indispensable.

After three years we produce 25,000 bottles per year — red, rosé and an experimental orange wine. We sell 40% at the cave (caveau de dégustation), 30% to local restaurants and 30% exported to the Netherlands and Belgium. Our annual revenue is €180,000 and after all costs we keep €50,000. It's less than we earned in Arnhem, but we wake up every morning among the vines, smell the garrigue and know: this is what we were made for.