Twitter Will Sell No Wine Before Its Time (But They Will Sell Wine)

Screen shot 2009-10-15 at 3.30.27 AMIn some circles, money is known as “cheese.” As we all know, Twitter has yet to make any of it. But they are now making something that pairs nicely with cheese: Wine.

No, seriously, Twitter has its own wine label, Fledgling Wine, which it’s launching today in partnership with San Francisco-based winery Crushpad. Right now you’re thinking one of two things: 1) Is this the new Twitter business model? 2) Is Twitter completely insane? Actually, neither. Instead, this is a side venture for a good cause. All proceeds are going to Room to Read, an organization that encourages literacy for children around the world.

So what kind of wine is Twitter selling? Two kinds: A 2009 Fledgling Pinot Noir and a 2009 Fledgling Chardonnay. Each 750ml bottle costs $20, or you can get a case (12 bottles) for $240. For each bottle sold, $5 is going towards Room to Read, with the rest going towards the production of the wine. “Every case sold will provide approximately 60 local language children’s books and promote education in the world’s poorest regions,” it says on the site.

Here’s the intro from Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams on the site:

As a company that’s only one percent into its journey, we’re always thinking about our long term impact on the world. The Fledgling Initiative embodies two things that are at the core of Twitter’s mission: providing access to information and highlighting the power of open communication to bring about positive change. This initiative is just one piece of that approach. Take part in this mission and pre-buy our limited bottles of the wine. You can follow along with our wine-making activities on Twitter and at some points even participate in its creation. For each bottle you buy, $5 will be donated to Room to Read, a transformational non-profit that brings books, libraries and ultimately literacy to people in the poorest areas around the world. The efforts of Room to Read will benefit literacy, and in doing so they’ll allow Twitter to grow. Because if you can’t read you can’t Tweet!

If you do buy some Twitter wine, it’s important to note that this is a pre-order; the actual wine will not be bottled until August 2010. Yes, almost a year from now. But, as the saying goes, “We will sell no wine, before its time.”