Retired NBA player & entrepreneur has big plans for Rhône Valley estate as he partners with Club dVIN to offer 500 exclusive NFT tokens to celebrate the release of his very first vintage
October 17th – Tony Parker has officially purchased Château Saint Laurent located just outside of Avignon in the heart of France’s Rhone Valley. As an avid wine lover and fan of the region for many years, Parker was moved by the beauty of this historic château which dates to the 14th century, specifically to the period of the Avignon Papacy (1309 – 1376) during which seven successive popes chose to reside in Avignon rather than Rome.
The château itself is composed of 2000 square metres and features 22 rooms, a panoramic terrace, and an underground passageway that stretches 10 kilometres, all the way to the Palais des Papes (“Palace of the Popes”) in central Avignon, one of the most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. The impressive doors at the heart of the château were a gift from the Palace of the Popes.
The château will be open for private parties, weddings, and conferences as of 1st June 2023.
The estate is fortunate enough to own 40 hectares of vineyards planted with syrah, grenache, cinsault, viognier and roussanne. Parker plans to produce wines made from blends of several different varieties as well as a range of “mono-cépage” wines so that he can showcase the attributes of each individual variety. The estate is currently certified “Haute Valeur Environnementale” and is in the process of conversion to organic viticulture.
“I have always loved the Rhône Valley,” says Parker. “I fell in love with Château Saint Laurent as soon as I saw it, and I am now fully committed to crafting some amazing wines while simultaneously making one of the most incredible reception venues in the South of France available for private use.”
2022 will be Parker’s very first vintage and only 3000 bottles will be produced. These initial wines will be released in November 2023.
To celebrate the launch of his first vintage, Parker has partnered with Club dVIN to offer 500 limited edition NFT tokens (on sale in December 2022) which will give one access to 6 bottles of Parker’s initial vintage plus guarantee an allocation of 6 bottles from every single future vintage. The 2022 vintage will be available for NFT holders to enjoy in November 2023 and owning this NFT will be the only way to gain access to some of the finest wines from the château moving forward. This collectible NFT will also entitle the owner to attend an annual “Pick up Party” with Parker at the estate, harvest events including overnight stays at the château, and many more surprises, including virtual tastings with Parker, exclusively reserved for the 500 lucky people who purchase these tokens in December.
