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Basketball star Tony Parker crowdfunds Rhône winery investment

14 November 2023 By Arabella Mileham

Former basketball pro Tony Parker is crowdfunding investment for the Rhône winery that he bought last year, Château Saint Laurent.

The French-American former athlete, who won the NBA Championships four time when he played for the San Antonio Spurs, the NBA All-Star six-time, as well as representing France at an international level, bought Château Saint Laurent near Avignon in November 2022. The estate comprises the 14th century castle along with 40 hectares of vineyards planted with classic Rhône varieties, Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Viognier and Roussanne. Parker plans to produce red and white blends as well as single-varietal bottlings, and launched the crowdfunding drive

According to Bricks, investments start as low as €10, although it has also been reported in the French media that a minimum buy-in of €30 ($32) is required. 250 investors will be be invited to tour the castle and take a behind-the-scenes look at the estate, including a wine tasting with the star, who will share his love for basketball and wine.

“It is an invitation to combine the passion for wine with that of sport, by participating in the financing of a property which promises to combine performance and emotion,” the pitch on Bricks said.

“This castle is much more than a real estate investment, it is a part of my story that I want to share.” Parker said. “Combining my passion for wine with his passion for sport, while offering the chance to experience special moments, is a way of thanking my fans and opening the doors to a world that is close to my heart.”

The Rhône property is Parker’s second winemaking venture since retiring from basketball in 2019. A wine aficionado, he previously joined forces with French entrepreneur Michel Reybier as a partner at Château La Mascaronne in Provence in 2022 with a hands on approach to develop the wine for international markets and leverage Parker’s platform to boost exports to the US. Reybier, who also owns Cos d’Estournel in Saint-Estèphe, Champagne Jeeper, Hétszölö in Hungary’s Tokaj region, and the La Reserve boutique hotel group, acquired the estate in 2020 from American Tom Bove, who also managed and restored Chateau Miraval prior to its acquisition by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

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