American Couple Retires to France to Start a Winery

Photos courtesy of © Château de Fayolle

**This article is a direct feature from the September/October 2024 My French Country Home magazine. To see more articles like this featuring stories about artisans in France, be sure to subscribe to the magazine!**

Retiring to a vineyard in France is a classic fantasy shared among many who have spent their lives in the corporate world. Though the idea may seem far-fetched, Americans Frank and Riki Campbell have proven that it is not only possible but can also be wildly fulfilling.

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“This is our calling,” says Frank Campbell. “Every day we wake up excited to make an impact in our community.” That “calling” is Château de Fayolle, the winemaking and wine tourism business that he and his wife Riki started in 2019. And the community they have since adopted as their own is the quaint 400-person village of Saussignac, in the Bergerac wine region of Dordogne.

Back in 2009, the couple moved from South Carolina to Switzerland for Frank’s work with a large multinational firm. This three-year international assignment unexpectedly turned into a ten-year installation, as they swiftly fell in love with the culture, safety and security that Europe granted them. While Frank traveled frequently for work, Riki integrated herself into life in Europe, taking French classes for six years and attending L’Ecole du Vin de Changins on Lake Geneva for three years to learn about the ins and outs of winemaking.

It was Riki’s dream to own a winery in her retirement, and while that dream may sound like a romantic one, it certainly takes a lot of work. It was an easy decision for the couple to stay in Europe, but finding a modest château with vineyards that met all their requirements – including quality grape potential and opportunity for wine tourism – was a challenge. In Switzerland, where they originally began looking, wineries for sale were few and far between since vineyards typically stayed within Swiss families.

In France, they researched over 100 different vineyards around the country, only avoiding the Bordeaux region. “We ruled out Bordeaux because this was a project we were pursuing for passion, not for grind,” Frank explains. “In Bordeaux, where winemaking is a highly competitive and industrialized business, we would have had difficulty creating the detailed and personalized wine experience that we can enjoy in a smaller appellation. We wanted the challenge of trying to elevate the reputation of the appellation as a whole and make a difference in the community.” 

However, just east of the elite Bordeaux wine region was a smaller and entirely separate appellation that the couple had been previously unaware of called Bergerac. Detached from the high pressure of Bordeaux, Bergerac was home to the same premium quality grapes in a more modest community within the majestic Dordogne region – and there just so happened to be the perfect château and vineyard for sale.

Seduced by the property’s potential to become a hub for wine tourism in a mesmerizing setting, Frank and Riki bought the small medieval château and its 12.5 hectares (31 acres) of vineyards on the spot. Previously used as an event rental space, the property was in decent condition but certainly needed some TLC. They immediately began a massive renovation on the tractor barn with the intention of turning it into a tasting room and replanted new vines three times in five years.

Riki was determined to become a certified organic vineyard – a process that takes three years in France. In 2022, Château de Fayolle successfully obtained the certification and now produces nine organic wines grown without herbicides or pesticides across their since-expanded 16 hectares (39.5 acres) of vineyards.

Today, they welcome tourists from around the world who often spend hours roaming the grounds, shopping at their onsite antique store, enjoying the views from the café terrace and learning about the Bergerac region through tastings of their award-winning wines.

When pursuing this post-retirement dream, Frank reiterated that making a difference in the community they settled in was of the utmost importance. Integrating themselves as much as possible into the village of Saussignac, they actively participate and volunteer in events organized throughout the Périgord. They also established a charitable organization called The Ruby Foundation in which they partner with a local artist to create the label art for their highest quality wine bottles and donate 20% of the sales to causes that benefit the youth in their community.

Frank and Riki are adamant believers of the philosophy, “a rising tide raises all boats.” When their business does better, everyone in the community also does better. Having invested so much effort into their winery, the whole region has since seen a greater influx of tourism. While Château de Fayolle wine is sold in international markets, most of their sales come from visitors to the property. “Wine is an emotional purchase,” Frank explains, so making a personal connection with the brand, the growers and the terroir is often the most influential factor for buyers. Given the couple’s passion for sharing the special qualities of this region, visitors feel more connected to the glass in their hand while their feet are planted on the ground of its origins.

Fostering a shared compassion for the community to anyone who visits, this American couple has redefined what it means to retire to a vineyard in France. There may not be much rest involved, but they are certainly making a lasting impact.  

Written by Olivia Hoffman

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