Nearly 28,000 hectares of vineyards are eligible for the state-funded grubbing-up program in 2026. This figure reinforces the image of a shrinking wine-growing region, where the value of estates is bound to decline. Data from FranceAgriMer and the National Federation of SAFERs paint a more nuanced picture—one that is more useful for anyone considering purchasing or passing on a wine estate.
How many hectares of vineyards will be uprooted in 2026?
Nearly 28,000 hectares of vineyards are eligible for subsidized uprooting in 2026. This is the area (27,926 hectares) for which winegrowers have expressed interest to FranceAgriMer, the public agency that administers the program, according to the official page for the 2026 permanent removal assistance program. Among them, 1,392 winegrowers indicated that they intended to cease operations entirely, covering 10,342 hectares.
The aid is a lump sum: 4,000 euros per hectare uprooted, with a total budget capped at 112.5 million euros, set by the decision of the Director General of FranceAgriMer dated June 10, 2026. The plots must be uprooted and then declared to customs no later than February 1, 2027.
This plan builds on a trend that is already underway. According to the FNSafer annual report published in May 2026, the area under vine declined by 47,000 hectares in 2025 compared to 2024. The 2026 applications are concentrated in the regions hardest hit by the red wine crisis: Occitanie accounts for more than half of the eligible areas, ahead of Gironde, as detailed in Vitisphere, based on figures from FranceAgriMer. At Blue Side, this is one of the indicators we monitor closely in Our analyses of the wine market.
Does uprooting lower the price of vineyards?
Not everywhere, and not at the same pace. According to The FNSafer Report on the Vineyard Market in 2025, the average price per hectare of AOP (Protected Designation of Origin, the framework for appellation wines) vineyards fell by 2.9% quarter-over-quarter to 171,400 euros. This average is driven upward by Champagne: excluding Champagne, an AOP hectare is worth an average of 87,400 euros, down 6.8% quarter-over-quarter. Vineyards outside appellations fell by 7.7% quarter-over-quarter, to 12,800 euros per hectare.
These figures refer to vineyard parcels that have been traded, not to estates. They do not take into account the winery, the buildings, the brand, or the inventory—all of which contribute to the value of a wine estate.
Behind the average, trends diverge. In the Bordeaux-Aquitaine region, the average price of AOP vineyards fell by 23.8 %, and the price per hectare in the Bordeaux and Côtes de Bordeaux appellations now stands at 6,500 euros. Languedoc-Roussillon remains stable (-0.2 %, at an average of 14,300 euros per hectare for AOP vineyards). The Rhône Valley-Provence region declined by 1 %, to 58,100 euros: FNSafer notes that the situation for the Côtes du Rhône is not improving in the Gard department and that several Provence rosé appellations are declining, while others are gaining ground, such as Cassis (+15 %). In the transactions we handle, estates along the Provençal coast are better weathering this trend, thanks to the scarcity of land and their strong heritage appeal. This figure actually encompasses two very different markets: the Rhône Valley, which is predominantly red wine-producing and much more extensive, and Provence, which is dominated by rosé and driven by strong heritage and wine tourism appeal.
Grapevine removal primarily affects plots that could no longer find a market. For partial removal, only vines planted before August 1, 2015, are eligible, with the exception of Chardonnay. A winery that uproots part of its vineyard therefore generally parts with its oldest or least valuable vines and keeps those it knows it can sell.
Can a grapevine that was uprooted with assistance be replanted?
No, not based on that grubbing-up. The FranceAgriMer decision of June 10, 2026, specifies that plots grubbed up with the aid cannot be used for applications for replanting authorization. Furthermore, winegrowers who receive this aid forgo the right to apply for new planting permits for the following ten growing seasons.
This point is rarely discussed, yet it is the most important one for a buyer. In France, Any vineyard must be approved in advance.. Under normal circumstances, uprooting a vineyard entitles the owner to a replanting permit, which allows the vineyard to be replanted at a later date. We discussed this process during the 2016 reform of planting permits.
The consequence is clear. A plot of land that has been uprooted under the subsidy program reverts to bare land, without any attached right to replant. And this restriction follows the plot when it changes hands: according to the cases we are handling, a new owner remains subject to the ten-year ban until it expires. Its value then approaches that of agricultural land rather than that of a vineyard. On an estate sold in 2027 or 2028, two neighboring plots may thus have vastly different values, depending on their history.
Who still buys vineyards?
An increasing number of buyers from other sectors. According to FNSafer, non-agricultural buyers (individuals and companies) accounted for 43.5 % of vineyard acquisitions in 2025, compared to 35.3 % in 2016. The number of non-agricultural individuals increased by 8.3 % year-over-year, while acquisitions by farmers acting in their own names reached an all-time low.
The market itself is holding up. In 2025, the number of vineyard transactions increased by 4.5 %, and their total value reached 1,648 million euros, up 16.3 %. The FNSafer puts this rebound into perspective: the four largest transactions alone account for 24.8 % of this total.
The two southern regions most affected by vineyard uprooting are showing different trends. In the Rhône Valley-Provence region, the number of transactions surged by 14.9 %. Nationwide, the value of vineyard sales including buildings rose by 41.3 %, driven by this region and Burgundy. In Languedoc-Roussillon, by contrast, the number of transactions fell by 3.4 % in 2025 and by 16.6 % since 2021. Buyers there are fewer in number and more selective, whether it be the vineyards of Languedoc or those from the Rhône Valley.
What should you check before buying or selling a domain in 2026?
For a buyer, the history of each parcel. It is no longer enough to count the number of hectares planted: one must know which parcels were uprooted, when, and under what conditions. The computerized vineyard registry (CVI), the official record of a vineyard’s plots, makes it possible to reconstruct this history. An area listed as «replantable» can be verified with supporting documentation.
A low price isn't enough, either. Cheaper vineyards in Languedoc or the Gard don't, on their own, make for a good purchase. What really matters is the estate's ability to sell its wine, the quality of its land, and the consistency of its production facilities.
For a seller—and particularly an owner nearing retirement—total grubbing-up is now a financially viable and regulated option. It’s worth comparing, based on the numbers, with selling the vineyard while it’s still in production or with a planned transfer to family or a buyer. The first option liquidates the business. The other two preserve the value of the vineyard and the possibility of replanting it. We detail these choices in our page on the transfer of a vineyard.
A Shrinking Vineyard
The 2026 uprooting plan reveals an uncomfortable truth: some French vineyards no longer have a market. It does not suggest that the vines have lost their value. The market continues to attract buyers, but it distinguishes more than ever between a vineyard that sells its wine and a plot of land that has nothing left but its history.
What remains planted will be valued for what it produces and for the right to continue producing it.
At Blue Side, we analyze each property plot by plot—including its history—to ensure that every acquisition and sale is based on an accurate assessment of its value. To discuss this, Learn more about our support services.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will the subsidy for uprooting vineyards be in 2026?
The aid is a lump sum: 4,000 euros per hectare of vineyard uprooted, within a national budget capped at 112.5 million euros. The uprooting must be reported to customs no later than February 1, 2027.
Can a vineyard that has been uprooted be replanted with the help of 2026?
No. Plots uprooted under this program do not qualify for a replanting permit. Furthermore, the winegrower receiving assistance waives the right to apply for new planting permits for the next ten growing seasons. Based on the cases we are handling, this restriction applies to the specific plot: a purchaser remains subject to it until it expires.
Are vineyard prices falling in Languedoc?
Not in 2025. According to FNSafer, the average price per hectare of AOP vineyards in Languedoc-Roussillon is stable (-0.2% quarter-over-quarter), at 14,300 euros, even though the number of transactions there has fallen by 3.4% quarter-over-quarter. These averages are based on vineyard plots, not entire estates.
Sources
- FranceAgriMer, National Assistance for the Permanent Removal of Vineyards in 2026, page published on July 7, 2026
- FranceAgriMer, Decision of the Director General No. INTV-GPASV-2026-47, June 10, 2026
- FranceAgriMer, The program for the permanent removal of grapevines has been launched, June 16, 2026
- FranceAgriMer, Permit to Plant Grapevines, page updated in July 2026
- Safer Group, Land Prices in 2025: The Vineyard Market, May 2026
- Vitisphere, France will uproot 4 % of its vineyards in 2026, March 23, 2026
