46% of the world’s super-rich are considering moving to Europe and investing in wine and olive oil

“Imagine waking up to golden light filtering through an olive grove or centuries-old vineyard, producing your own oil or wine from hand-picked fruit, and sharing it over dinner under a starry sky”. This is the opening sentence of the paragraph entitled “Vintage value: cultivating lasting returns” in the “European Lifestyle Report” by Knight Frank, the London-based global real estate consultancy. The report, which focuses exclusively on individuals with a net worth of over $30 million available for investment, reveals that by the end of 2025, 46% of the sample analyzed will consider moving to the EU, driven by business opportunities (mainly in the agri-food sector), financial stability, tax incentives, shelter from international geopolitical tensions and climate change, and, last but not least, the phenomenon of overtourism.
The preference tends to be for large European cities, but the countryside is also attractive: according to the study, foreign investors (who in Italy are mainly Swiss, American, and British) are particularly attracted to luxury real estate with the prospect of investing in a vineyard or olive grove, which the world’s “big spenders” consider to be tangible assets with a “hybrid” return, i.e., both financial and lifestyle. It is no coincidence that among the 704 respondents from 11 countries (the United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland) and representing 30 different nationalities - Tuscany, one of the most famous regions in the world thanks to its countryside, ranks third in the global ranking of the super-rich’s choices for “non-urban centers”, behind the mountain resorts of Chamonix, France, and Verbier, Switzerland.
The research explains that 1 in 8 Knight Frank clients ask for information on properties with potential for secondary activities such as viticulture and olive growing: “It’s not just about rustic charm. When done well, it’s a combination of passion, business, and a tangible asset that appreciates over time”, says Alexander Hall, head of the agency’s international vineyards division. The European wine sector is, in fact, attracting more and more investors who see wine not only as a luxury product but also as an asset, and since France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal account for over 60% of global production (according to World Population Review), it is in these countries that the super-rich are focusing most of their attention: from high-volume, low-margin estates to boutique wineries producing limited vintages at €30-150 per bottle, with a particular attraction for organic and terroir-related labels, and perhaps with a strong winemaking tradition. “For those investing in a European wine estate, it’s not about chasing industrial margins”, adds Hall, “but about securing a tangible asset that generates income with integrated lifestyle returns. A place where business meetings can take place over a tasting in the cellar, and where “asset appreciation” includes the view from your terrace”.
No less important is olive oil, which is experiencing strong growth given the increasing demand for healthy fats, transparent origins, and artisanal quality. The report explains that Europe—led by Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and France—produces over 65% of the world's olive oil and that the market is divided into two segments: bulk commodity oil, which has slim margins, and high-quality extra virgin oil, which sells for €10-30 per liter. It also notes that producers who focus on organic farming, integrated experiences, tastings, workshops, and agritourism are thriving. Among the territories recommended for investment by the study are Tuscany, Piedmont, and Puglia, as they embody both wine and olive growing traditions (along with Bordeaux and Provence in France, Andalusia and the Balearic Islands in Spain, Alentejo and Douro in Portugal, and Corfu in Greece), complete with tables on cost per hectare, regulations, certifications, yields, European subsidies, and state taxation.