Montesquieu Winery turns wine into water for 1,800 people

NAPA, Calif., Dec. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Thanks to a little bit of effort and one very special wine -- Michel Rolland's 2003 Bonne Nouvelle -- 1,800 more people are set to receive the thing they need most: a source for clean water. 

With the holidays in full swing, Montesquieu Winery wanted to harness the spirit of giving to bring good news to those who need it most. So Montesquieu Winery CEO Fonda Hopkins set a goal: Let's raise $25,000 by Christmas Day for CNN Hero Doc Hendley and his organization Wine To Water to dig several more wells for people in Ethiopia. Montesquieu wine brokers and clients enthusiastically took up the cause, and with a week still to go, Montesquieu Winery has now helped provide clean water for a total of 10,000 people in Africa since 2012.

Montesquieu wines always reflect artisan winemaking and terrific value. But even by those high standards, the 2003 Bonne Nouvelle ("good news" in French) is in a league of its own. Handcrafted by Michel Rolland – the world's most famous winemaker – the Bonne Nouvelle shows the world-class potential of South Africa's beautiful vineyards when tended by a master vintner. $20 per bottle goes to Wine To Water to build wells in Ethiopia, so that each bottle sold literally saves a life.  

Dirty water kills more children than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Over 1 billion people do not have access to clean water, and every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related illness. "We're so pleased to partner with Doc Hendley and Michel Rolland to make a difference in the lives of so many families," says Fonda Hopkins. "But this is only a drop in the bucket. We can and must do more."

For Montesquieu Winery, this effort is part of its broader goal to help Doc Hendley – the subject of a CNN documentary airing December 21 at 7pm ET – make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of families worldwide.  Through past fundraisers, Montesquieu has already raised over $150,000 for Wine To Water, funding over ten wells in Ethiopia.

Learn more about the Montesquieu Winery at www.montesquieu.com 
Purchase the Bonne Nouvelle at www.winetochangetheworld.com. 
Follow the campaign at www.facebook.com/MontesquieuWinery.

CONTACT: Stephen George, 858-335-4237, [email protected]

Video with caption: "Montesquieu Winery joins forces with CNN Hero Doc Hendley to bring clean water to Ethiopia". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3xxwPnKJ8

SOURCE Montesquieu Winery