Headed by Bertrand Couturié, BARNES Manors & Castles Department incorporates several trade experts who assist real estate consultants in their region. Among them, Arnaud Delaire, vineyard expert.

What is the “professional” expertise offered by BARNES Manors & Castles Department?

Bertrand Couturié: In order to adopt a professional approach, we have several experts specialized in various sectors within our department: vineyards, stud and equestrian farms, golf courses, hunting grounds, forests, farmlands, historic monuments, hotels and guest houses.

Each expert is a recognized specialist in his sector and assists our consultants in their region in order to better determine the expectations of our buyers in these very specific sectors and, at the same time, thoroughly analyze and produce accurate estimates for a property with a forest, a vineyard, a stud farm, a golf, hunting grounds…

The transaction of beautiful properties and castles requires skills that our consultants, present in every French region, have. The detailed study of real estate that yields income like a golf course, farmland, forests for example – in terms of production, profitability, exploitation… - requires specific expertise. BARNES has the resources to offer these two services and various expertise to our clients, present or future owners…

What is part of the vineyard real estate expertise?

Arnaud Delaire: It’s a global and detailed view of all the parts of a vineyard real estate: production of course but also the tools and techniques, marketing and advertising aspects, development potential… in addition to the value of the real estate in itself - castle, manor, wine storehouses… - and the rest, estate and wine-growing land.

We work for the owners-sellers – to estimate their property at fair prices and conditions – and for potential buyers to whom we can give advice, that goes far beyond a simple real estate transaction: clear definition of their expectations, determination of the production load, production and marketing goals, means to reach these goals… It’s very much an expert’s and a consultant’s job, in which we have to understand the underlying motivations of the buyer.

In other words, we have to identify the key motivation: is the buyer searching for a leisure propriety with some production or is he willing to invest in quality production and distribution? In the end, it’s a question of trust, step-by-step analysis of the vineyard and all its components, meeting with the current owners…

What is the profile of potential vineyard buyers?

Arnaud Delaire: Today, potential buyers are both very demanding and mostly great connoisseurs. Loving fine wine is a good start yet that’s not enough to purchase a castle in the Bordeaux region under proper conditions!

Our clients appreciate being able to count on somebody they can trust and is professionally recognized and is also a wine-grower-owner, who can give them advice and guide them throughout their project.

The buyers come primarily from the region or live in the region where they are looking for a propriety, then come foreign buyers – Japanese in recent years, followed by Russians and, now, Chinese – and several institutional business groups.

Wine-grower-owner of castles located in the Saint-Emilion and Côtes de Roussillon regions, Arnaud Delaire is also a Wine consultant for a major distribution group in the foodservice sector and is responsible for wine real estate transactions.

Contacts :

BARNES Vineyard Expert : Arnaud Delaire : Tél : + 33(0)6 07 38 96 98 - a.delaire@barnes-international.com

Manors & Castles : Tél : +33 (0)1 53 65 81 72 – proprietes-chateaux@barnes-international.com

Bertrand Couturié : Tél : +33 (0)6 45 59 80 62 – b.couturie@barnes-international.com