Today was our first real day working in the vineyard. On the way, I chatted a lot with the owner, Olivier—about why he chose winemaking, why he committed to organic farming, and so on. His life has been full of twists and turns, and his story is fascinating.
He’s someone who truly follows his heart. Even though he studied economics and engineering at university—and could have gone down the classic “elite” career path in France—he instead spent many years working with agricultural NGOs in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Then, in 2016, he returned to France with his wife and two children to start growing grapes. Many of his friends have done something similar—leaving behind high-paying corporate jobs to “return to the land.”
Olivier isn’t your typical Frenchman. Having lived in Southeast Asia for so long, he has an open and inclusive outlook, which you can even see in the Southeast Asian touches scattered throughout his home décor.
We all feel this is something positive. As you’ll see in the video, Beaujolais still has plenty of traditional growers—and even patches of abandoned land. With smart, passionate young people like Olivier coming back home, the organic wine movement here is bound to keep growing healthier and stronger.
As for me? Let’s just say I’m not exactly skilled at manual labor. Even the simplest vineyard tasks gave me trouble today. Something as basic as tying up young vines with string took me forever—and I still managed to mess it up more than once. Honestly, though, I can’t say I was surprised…
But! Olivier’s hands-on skills are truly next level—he’s even digging a swimming pool in his own backyard! Give me a few more days here and I’ll put together a special video just on that.
Tap the video to meet a vineyard owner passionate about organic living… and a clumsy beginner who refuses to give up 👇👇
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