H&A costs him €54,000, but does not put him off buying barrels thanks to the support of his customers

Jean-Baptiste Duquesne, at the helm of Château Cazebonne (30 hectares farmed biodynamically in Saint-Pierre-de-Mons in the Graves), is facing a €54,000 loss following the liquidation of the H&A group, the global leader in barrel leasing. This sum includes €10,000 of new barrels left unpaid by H&A to his cooper, alongside unrefunded lease payments. This debt represents more than 10% of the estate's €400,000 annual turnover, and Duquesne, though affected, is resigned to not taking legal action, deeming the chances of recovery slim and legal fees high. Despite this tense situation, the winegrower is determined not to sacrifice the quality of his 2026 vintage, which he considers potentially the best of the last ten years. He wishes to continue ageing his wines in new oak, convinced that this is essential for enhancing the product's value and consumer appreciation, even if consumers often claim they do not like oaked wines. To achieve this, he launched an online crowdfunding campaign, offering his customers the opportunity to invest in exchange for current or future wines. This initiative aimed for an initial milestone of €10,000 to purchase six new barrels (at a unit price of €1,500 excl. VAT), with a final target of €20,000 from around one hundred contributors. The crowdfunding campaign has already raised over €12,000 from 70 participants, enabling Château Cazebonne to jump-start cash flow, settle its bills, and secure the purchase of the barrels required for the 2026 vintage, thereby transforming a crisis into a positive outcome.