Tough times require more from us.....

(The Chateau in winter)

As many of you know I chose to launch this new Micro-Leasing business just 14 months ago, back when we were fat, dumb and happy about the economy and apparently even though the signs were everywhere that we were in for a rough ride.  Well we've come to know how rough it is and my guess is that its going to get a little rougher.  And while that calls for restraint and a certain even tempered-ness I don't think it means that we should stop the effort to live our dreams or that we should lay down and resign ourselves to something less than our resources and capabilities can deliver.  Its not that I am advocating for blowing a bunch of money on a sketchy one time feel good gamble, I have never believed that Monte Lauro Vineyards was anything like that.  In fact, I have always thought that it represented a truly incredible value in real dollars for anyone who loves wine, who revels in history and who basks in the glow of rich new experiences.  Heck, it even represents a great value for budget conscious travelers.  There is no way to do the south of France so well for so little.  I'm so confident of it that I'm willing to bet on it.  And thats just one of the ways I'm responding to this economic morass we've found ourselves in.  

One of my Mother's favourite mottos was "many hands make light work" and for those that have visited Montlaur or Thibaudiere you can attest to the fact that, indeed when we work together there is a spirit that infuses the process.  Everything is more enjoyable, everything has more salt, more of a sense of vitality.  So when I speak of doing things together I am speaking of doing the things we can do to help each other through this.  What can I do to help you?  Well a lot of that is embodied in the whole business concept of Monte Lauro.  I developed it as something beyond anything you could simply buy because I wanted you to be a part of it for the long term.  I wanted you to be invested in it, to care about it and to keep caring about it.  I want you to feel like an owner, even if its not practical to be one I still think its relevant to "feel like one".

But what else can I do.  Well here's a sampling;

1) For every current Micro-Leaseholder I'll add another year to your Micro-Lease right now (Value=$966),

2) For new Micro-Leaseholders I'll offer a free one year gift Micro-Lease for you to give to someone you think would appreciate it (Value=$750),

3) For those with limited cash flow, but who would like to enjoy the benefits of membership, I'll reduce the buy-in from one year up front to six month's up front and spread the rest over the next two years (Value= $483),

4) For every person who refers a new Micro-Leaseholder I'll provide a free week's accommodation at the vineyard or in one of the Gites close by, subject to a couple of reasonable conditions (Value= Up to $1000)

5) For all active Micro-Leaseholders I'll provide the opportunity for you to take over the entire farmhouse for week long stints to have and use as your own place, with space for up to six people to sleep comfortably, for a usage fee of just $500 per week, subject to a couple of reasonable conditions.  You can't find anything so reasonable in the south of France!

I'm confident that, working together, we can actually grow during this recession and that in doing so we'll come out the other side stronger and more resilient, better equipped for all the other challenges we have to face in life.  At the very least we'll have shared some good wine, some good food and some good company in a place that transcends economies and transports the spirit.  You need to experience it...get a taste at www.experience-wine.com and don't hesitate to give me a call to ask about it.