Fractional Ownership News

Crushpad Opens New Fractional Wine Facility In France

Crushpad today announced the opening of its newest consumer winemaking operation in Bordeaux, allowing individual wine enthusiasts from across the globe to actively create their own cuvées from vineyards in Bordeaux’s most coveted appellations. With the support of leading viticulturists and winemakers, Crushpad clients will undergo an immersive experience where they create their own unique wines that they can share
with family and friends or even sell commercially where permitted.

Crushpad’s Bordeaux facility is located in Saint Emilion, internationally recognized as a center of “micro-cuvée” wine production. Crushpad’s clients will make their wines at Château Teyssier, under the supervision of owner/winemaker Jonathan Maltus. Described by Robert Parker as a ‘visionary, self-styled revolutionary’, Maltus produces highly acclaimed single-vineyard Saint Emilion Grand Crus including Le Dôme, Les Astéries, Le Carré and Vieux Chateau Mazerat.

“Our association is a natural fit,” said Jonathan Maltus. “We both excel in luxury, small-scale wine production. Crushpad benefits from our 15 years of producing premium wines in Bordeaux and we gain exposure to Crushpad’s use of winemaking and technology to create unique relationships with their end client:
the actual consumer.”

Renowned consultants Eric Boissenot and Stéphane Derenoncourt have agreed to work with Crushpad on vineyard selection, viticulture and winemaking support. Crushpad is sourcing fruit from vineyards in well-known appellations such as Margaux and Saint Emilion as well as emerging appellations where
precision viticulture will be applied to maximize quality from old vines grown in excellent terroir.

“So many wine enthusiasts dream of owning their own vineyard”, said Stephen Bolger, president of Crushpad’s French operations. “Our clients can live that dream at a fraction of the cost and create terroir-driven wines from individual vineyards or blend the best from different regions to create their own cru libre. Crushpad
also provides an alternative for certain growers who own fantastic vineyards but find themselves limited by Bordeaux’s existing appellation and distribution system.”

Clients worldwide can participate in the 2009 harvest. All vineyard and winemaking information is available on Crushnet.com, Crushpad’s online community for winemaking, so clients can stay connected to their wine wherever they are. Crushpad clients choosing to travel to Bordeaux will immerse themselves in their own wine production as well as vineyard visits and educational sessions.

All clients will periodically receive barrel samples and can create their final blends either on site or virtually by using Fusebox - Crushpad’s wine blending kit. “Literally from my San Francisco garage to the most heralded wine region in the world in five years is an unbelievable dream for us,” said Michael Brill, Crushpad CEO. “We have enabled thousands of individuals to experience California winemaking at a very high level. Now we’re honored, humbled and impossibly excited about the great team and vineyard sources we are working with to bring this same experience to lovers of Bordeaux wines across the world.”

www.crushpadwine.fr

01/06/2009