Crushpad Launches Online Community for Creating Wine

Crushpad Launches Online Community for Creating Wine

Crushnet.com provides insider access to the wine industry to millions of consumers

SAN FRANCISCO, June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Crushpad, the consumer-powered winery, today announced that the company has launched Crushnet.com, an online community where consumers meet and collaborate to create their own boutique wines. Wines are produced at Crushpad's new 34,000 square foot winery in San Francisco and can be shared among the community, reviewed and even entered into nationwide competitions. Crushnet represents a new online wine economy that harnesses the creative expression of millions of wine enthusiasts from across the country.

Released into full production today, Crushnet.com is at the forefront of the "Wine 2.0" revolution which, like its Web 2.0 predecessor, recasts individuals as producers of unique products instead of just consumers of mass- production goods. Instead of wine enthusiasts being at the end of a long chain of grape growers, wineries, distributors and retailers, they are now at the center of power and provide the wine style definition, capital and, optionally, their own sweat equity to create their own luxury wines. When combined with Crushpad Commerce, wine enthusiasts can "go pro" and launch their own commercial wine brands created on Crushnet.com. Wine enthusiasts with more casual interest can still have an immersive experience just by joining an existing winemaking group with as little as a single case allocation of wine.

Key capabilities of Crushnet.com include:

-- Style matching engine connects like-minded wine enthusiasts
-- Barrel sharing allocations and financial transactions are managed
online
-- Wine planning and winemaking information is delivered in real-time
-- User-generated video, pictures, blogs and forums track winemaking
experiences
-- Online wine reviews and competitions provide feedback on individual
wines
-- Enowiki provides a community-edited winemaking encyclopedia

"Since we started Crushpad in 2004, we've had thousands of clients who have been making wine by themselves or in small groups," said Alan Baker, Crushnet.com's director. "With Crushnet, we will be able to connect them and bring in a new wave of enthusiasts that can take their wine hobby to the next level."

About Crushpad

Crushpad is a San Francisco-based consumer winemaking facility whose clients include wine enthusiasts, professional winemakers, wine retailers and restaurateurs. Crushpad specializes in small-lot, luxury wine production from the West Coast's most notable vineyards. The company was founded in 2004 by wine industry veterans and technology industry refugees determined to liberate winemaking from its traditional stereotypes of impossible wealth, expansive chateaus and golden retrievers. For more information call 415-864-4232 or visit http://www.crushpadwine.com/.

Contact:
Hayden Moulds
hayden@crushpadwine.com
415-864-4232

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Crushpad

CONTACT: Hayden Moulds of Crushpad, +1-415-864-4232,
hayden@crushpadwine.com

Web site:

http://www.crushpadwine.com/

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