(Eater) - The traditional world of French winemaking is raising cash in a decidedly new-fangled way: through online investments. Bloomberg reports Bordeaux entrepreneur Maxime Debure has launched a crowdfunding site called Wine-Funding, which allows anyone to "buy a stake in wine domains that are just starting, renovating, or expanding."

The winemakers featured on the site are selected by Wine-Funding "experts" (sommeliers, wine critics, etc.), and investors can contribute to them by financing a number of projects, from land acquisition to equipment procurement. Depending upon the type of project, investors will either become shareholders or be repaid in wine.

Winemakers can send samples to the company's experts in order to be selected to have a project crowdfunded. The site, which launched last month with French winemakers only, will eventually accept projects from other countries.

The crowdfunding trend has infiltrated the food and drink worlds in a big way. In the United States, one site connects wannabe restaurateurs and investors, who receive an equity stake alongside typical investment-based perks such as party invites and future discounts. Kickstarter has played a large role in the funding of food and beverage projects, too. In April, a wine dispenser raised $100,000 via Kickstarter in just 15 hours. An at-home brewing device drew considerable interest last year, raising more than $1 million despite a goal of just $200,000.