Keira Knightley has opened up about selling the French vineyard where she and musician husband James Righton tied the knot, calling it “difficult” to keep their dream project alive.
The Love Actually star, 40, reflected on the challenges of running a hands-on, organic wine operation while balancing family life and careers.
A Labor of Love in the Rhône Valley
The couple owned Les Cinq Puits, meaning “the five wells,” a charming vineyard near Mont Ventoux in France’s Rhône Valley.
Named after the five natural springs on the property, the vineyard became the site of their wedding in 2013.
Knightley described the painstaking work involved: “We made five cuvées of grenache, which was amazing because it was organically made.
We did everything by hand and we did the old stamping of the grapes and the whole thing.”
Organic Wine, Old-School Techniques
Keira and James committed to traditional methods, producing limited batches of Grenache under the Ventoux label with guidance from local winemakers Luc and Sandrine Guenard.
The wine was sold through specialist outlets, mostly outside the mass market, allowing the couple to maintain a small, artisanal operation.
“It was actually drinkable,” Knightley said, laughing. “It was absolutely amazing.
We got really into it. It’s great because of the stories of the winemakers.”
Challenges Behind the Romance
Despite the romantic image of grape-stomping and vineyard life, Knightley admitted it was not without its struggles.
“It’s an extraordinary thing—how they make them and how difficult it is, particularly if you’re doing it organically,” she explained.
Eventually, they made the decision to let the property go, acknowledging that the project was too demanding to sustain alongside their careers and family responsibilities.
A Wedding and Family Memories
The vineyard held special significance for the couple, serving as the location for their intimate wedding attended by close friends and family, including Sienna Miller.
Knightley wore a Chanel ivory dress and jacket on the day.
The couple, who met at a London dinner party in 2011, are parents to two daughters, Edie, 10, and Delilah, six, and Knightley has spoken about choosing roles that allow her to stay closer to home in London to balance work and motherhood.
Celebrity Wine Ventures: Small vs. Big
Celebrity-owned vineyards have become increasingly popular, from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Chateau Miraval in Provence to Sting’s organic wines at Il Palagio in Tuscany and Francis Ford Coppola’s estates in California and Italy.
Kylie Minogue has also launched a commercially successful wine label.
Unlike these high-profile ventures, Keira and James focused on a small, personal project—a labor of love rather than a business empire.
Reflecting on the Journey
For Knightley, the vineyard was never just about the wine; it was about passion, learning, and shared experiences.
“I like wine and I like drinking wine. James is super into wine.
Actually, I used to have a place in France and we made our own wine,” she said on the Dish podcast.
While the vineyard is no longer theirs, the memories of their artisanal winemaking and life milestones there will remain treasured.
From France to Family Life
As Knightley continues her acting career selectively to prioritize family, the story of Les Cinq Puits stands as a reminder of a unique chapter in her life—a blending of love, craft, and hands-on creativity in the picturesque Rhône Valley.
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