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Living here in the Languedoc surrounded by vineyards, we are spoilt rotten. We can talk to the viticulteurs, heft purple grapes in our hands and taste wine 'til we fall over.
 This year a group of five people have got together to help all us dreamers out there. Lizzie Betts-Gosling and Ali Ballantyne had heard of existing 'adopt a vine' schemes in other parts of France and were looking for a vineyard here that might be interested in this type of project. Dreams aside, they thought it was such a sensible idea when the average person doesn't actually know their assemblage from their elbow and it's a mutually satisfying way for vineyards to diversify in a hugely competitive market.
Hans Hurlimann and Christa Vogel, the owners of the Domaine Bourdic which is between Roujan and Pezenas (Hérault), were looking for partners to market vine-adoption on the internet. Hans and Christa were both classical musicians in Basle. They decided to come to the Languedoc because they preferred the climate. 11 years and 52,000 meticulous vines later, their vineyard is hospitable, un-stuffy, lyrical and industrious.
The fifth person to join the group was Henny Ebben, who has the necessary internet 'know-how' and who speaks four languages. The combination of wine-makers, a computer whiz, a writer and a linguist, who were all friends working together, and 'Deux-pieds' was born.
For €190 you can adopt twelve vines from the Domaine Bourdic for a year. You can select your own vines depending on the grape variety or the view – this can be very important if you want to have a picnic sitting next to your own vines during the year. The Deux-Pieds team will tell you what's happening to your vines through regular newsletters, a polyglot blog and the vineyard's calendar. You can take part in the vendange (grape-picking) and the assemblage (maceration), and at the end of the year you will receive 12 bottles of wine with your own personal label. Best of all, Hans and Christa, who are excellent wine-makers, do all the hard work while we vine-adopters enjoy the kind of vineyard we dreamed of and have all the fun.
- Brodie Hunter, Languedoc Sun magazine
Links:
Adopt a vine in the Languedoc: www.deux-pieds.com
Domaine Bourdic and Festival Bourdic: www.domainebourdic.com
Chambre d'hôte Le Couvent (run by Lizzie & Ali): www.roujan.com
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