In the News
“‘We’re trying to make every aspect of the wine business approachable and accessible to wineries and visitors alike,” says Erin Brooks, one of the owners and a principal at Ernest Vineyards, a founding member winery. “There’s a real sense of entrepreneurialism and discovery and excitement around here, and I think that’s contagious for everyone — including consumers.’”
— San Francisco Chronicle, January 2019
“Named after the official French wine classification for certain wines of good reputation, the owners of Grand Cru Custom Crush want vintners of small but proven brands who have outgrown existing custom wineries and want onsite hospitality facilities but don’t have the resources to build their own production facility, according to partner Todd Gottula.”
— The North Bay Business Journal, March 2017
“In wine parlance, the phrase “grand cru” is the classification of a vineyard known for maintaining a consistent reputation for producing quality wines year after year. The same could be said about Grand Cru, which sits south of Russian River Brewing on American Way. Think of Grand Cru like WeWork for wine. The 31,000-square-foot state-of-the-art production facility is a cooperative and collaborative winery space where a dedicated staff helps smaller, boutique labels make wine and build brands. It is home to more than 20 boutique Russian River-area wine labels that are big enough to have established winemaking but too small to own winery operations of their own. All told, the facility can produce roughly 30,000 cases a year.”
— The Press Democrat, September 2019
“The words “wine country” conjure images of beautiful vistas and vine rows marching (or sprawling, depending on viticultural philosophies) into the sunset. But as you plan your wine country vacations this year, don’t ignore the industrial parks, the winery co-ops or the “custom crush” facilities where several winemakers pool their resources. Warehouses may not be as sexy as sunsets, but some of the best wines are being made in the most unscenic places. In California’s Sonoma County, just north of the Santa Rosa airport, Grand Cru Custom Crush is a gleaming new facility in a spare industrial park that includes DuMol and Marcassin wineries, two exclusive labels with avid followings. Russian River Brewing is building a huge facility with a restaurant nearby. Grand Cru has capacity for about 20 wineries; it housed 12 when it opened for the 2017 harvest.
— The Washington Post, April 2018
“At its core, Grand Cru Custom Crush is a great idea, one that reflects modern-day business and lifestyle trends. Founded by Robert and Erin Morris and Todd and Erin Gottula, the wine production co-op provides state-of-the-art technology and production equipment as well as individualized tasting rooms to be shared by small, boutique winemakers. The concept itself is clean and efficient and opens doors for producers who work under the premise that “less is better” to pursue their passion and connect with the consumer.”
— San Francisco Examiner, April 2018