(Telegraph) - It has never been easier – or cheaper – to own part of a French wine-making château.

The prospect is guaranteed to turn the head of even the most businesslike Briton: go to France, buy a vineyard, and spend your days in the open, tending vines beneath the Mediterranean sun.

The reality is less romantic. The life of a winegrower is not a gentle meander through fields full of golden-hued grapes. It is a constant battle against the weather, disease, insects and obstructive officials.

On top of which, French winegrowers find the notion of a rosbif making vin rouge not so much a charming novelty as a downright cheek. Britons have needed a thick skin, as well as deep pockets, to succeed.

Now, however, a number of property initiatives provide British buyers with a route into the wine-growing business, without having to splash out millions on a vast and crumbling château. An apartment on a wine-growing estate can be yours for as little as £140,000