Crushpad

Moved.The old site now redirects to thewinefoundry.com. The struggling custom-crush business was sold at auction in August 2012, with its assets going to CastleGate for $654,866.

What's in the box: Crushpad customers made their own wine, usually a barrel's worth, from grapes they chose, and it was bottled under a custom label.

Crushpad is no longer operating. The custom-crush winemaking business was sold at auction in August 2012, and crushpadwine.com now redirects to The Wine Foundry, a separate Napa winemaking company. While it ran, Crushpad let ordinary wine lovers make their own wine without owning a winery. Customers chose grapes from California vineyards and made key winemaking decisions with guidance from professional winemakers. They ended up with their own wine, usually made by the barrel, bottled under a label they designed. Groups of friends could split a barrel, and some small wine brands used the service to get started. The idea built a loyal following, but the business struggled financially, and CastleGate bought its assets for $654,866 at the 2012 auction. Anyone who visits the old address today lands on The Wine Foundry's site. That company offers barrel winemaking from Napa and Sonoma vineyards, a Share-A-Barrel option and custom labeled wines for businesses. It is a different company, and its site does not say that it honors old Crushpad accounts, orders or wine. Former customers with questions about past barrels should not expect help through the old domain. For shoppers, Crushpad is now part of wine industry history and is not a service you can join.