Connect an AI assistant
Any assistant that can add a remote MCP server with OAuth can use Cru. You need the URL for your market, a Cru account on that market’s site, and a minute to choose what the assistant may do. No key or client ID has to be issued first: the assistant registers itself.
https://us.cruworldwine.com/api/mcpChoose the market and environment in the masthead and this URL follows. Every market’s URL is on the overview.
Claude
On claude.ai and in the Claude desktop app:
- Open Settings → Connectors and choose Add custom connector.
- Name it — Cru World Wine (US) — and paste the server URL. Leave any OAuth client ID and secret fields empty.
- Choose Connect. Cru’s sign-in page opens on that market’s site.
- Sign in, choose the permissions and sites, and Allow.
On Team and Enterprise plans an owner may need to add the connector for the organisation first. Menu names can differ between versions of Claude.
Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http cru-us https://us.cruworldwine.com/api/mcp Then run /mcp inside Claude Code, choose the server and authenticate: your browser opens Cru’s sign-in page, and Claude Code receives the token on a local address once you allow it.
ChatGPT
- In Settings → Apps & Connectors → Advanced settings, turn on Developer mode.
- Create a connector, paste the server URL, and choose OAuth as the authentication.
- ChatGPT finds Cru’s sign-in page by itself. Sign in, choose permissions, and allow it.
Follow OpenAI’s current instructions where they differ. Cru’s server has no tools called search or fetch, so it is for developer mode and chats, not for ChatGPT surfaces that require those two.
Other MCP clients
A client that speaks Streamable HTTP — MCP 2025-03-26 or later — with OAuth discovery and dynamic client registration works without setup. It must send POST requests from a server or a local app: there are no sessions, server-sent events or batches, and a browser page on another origin is refused. The protocol details →
Choosing what it may do
Cru’s consent page shows the assistant’s name and asks two questions.
| PERMISSION | GIVES THE ASSISTANT |
|---|---|
meta:readRequired | whoami, list_warehouses, list_inbond_warehouses |
market:readStarts ticked | search_wines, list_bids, list_offers, list_market |
wines:readStarts ticked | get_wine |
portfolio:readStarts ticked | get_my_portfolio |
bids:readStarts ticked | list_my_bids |
offers:readStarts ticked | list_my_listings |
trades:readStarts ticked | list_my_purchases, list_my_sales |
addresses:readStarts ticked, if asked for by name | list_inbond_addresses |
bids:writeStarts unticked | place_bid, update_bid, cancel_bid, renew_bid, confirm_instruction; buy_wine with orders:write |
offers:writeStarts unticked | list_for_sale, update_listing, remove_offers, confirm_instruction; sell_to_bid with orders:write |
orders:writeStarts unticked | buy_wine (with bids:write), sell_to_bid (with offers:write) |
addresses:writeStarts unticked | add_inbond_address, remove_inbond_address, confirm_instruction |
The trading permissions start unticked, even if the assistant asked for them: a customer who wants to trade from the assistant ticks bids:write, offers:write, or both — and orders:write as well to buy and sell immediately rather than through a resting bid or listing. Then it asks which Cru sites the assistant may use: the one you connected on always, others if you tick them.
Even with every permission ticked, the assistant can only prepare a trade. It shows you a summary, and only your yes in the conversation lets it go ahead. Purchases are paid from your Cru account credit or on invoice terms, never by card.
Changing or removing access
To change the permissions, remove the connector and add it again. To end access, remove it from the assistant — and to make sure it is gone from Cru’s side too, contact Cru, which can disconnect it. Access also lapses on its own after 30 days without use, and stops while an account is on hold.
If it does not connect
404 on the URL | The MCP server is not switched on in that environment yet. |
| “This account cannot connect apps” | The account is on hold, or belongs to another market’s site. Connect on the host for the market your account is on. |
access_denied from another market | That site was not ticked when you connected. Connect again and tick it, or add a second connector. |
| No trading tools | The trading permissions were left unticked. Connect again and tick them. |