Bill Foley Acquires Majority Interest in Touring & Tasting Marketing & Media

Investment planned to fuel continued growth in Wine Tourism

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Jul 19, 2013, 05:00 ET

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bill Foley, founder of Foley Family Wines and Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Financial Inc., announced today he has acquired a controlling interest in Touring & Tasting Marketing and Media, the industry leader in wine tourism. Originally founded in 1995 by Managing Partner Dan Fox and President Paul Arganbright, Touring & Tasting Marketing & Media is recognized as "The Premier Guide to Wine Country." Touring & Tasting's assets include the acclaimed national magazine Touring & Tasting, touringandtasting.com, the Wine Country Video Channel, a wine country concierge service, and a luxury Wine Festival at Sea cruise program. The company is also a key backer of the nation's most prominent wine tourism events including the Wine Tourism Conference, Destination Races, Wine Bloggers Conference, Great American Wine Festival, California Wine Festival, and more.

"Foley Family Wines is fully committed to the growth and success of wine tourism globally," said Bill Foley, owner of Foley Family Wines, "It is exciting to see the positive economic impact wine tourism is having on regions and communities all over, and partnering with Touring & Tasting will help us continue to help fuel that growth."

"We're thrilled to make this announcement, because our partnership with Foley Family Wines is truly synergistic," Dan Fox commented. "With Bill's passion for the wine industry and commitment to promoting wine tourism, we now have the resources required to further expand and diversify Touring & Tasting. Our collective mission is to promote and help market the wine country businesses with whom we work. We'll immediately be expanding our audience through increased distribution in print, online and through our mobile apps and digital editions. We'll also be creating new content syndication partnerships and building and providing more tools to help our clients be more competitive."

Touring & Tasting Marketing & Media is based in Santa Barbara, California. "There are no plans for changes in staffing or in the way Touring & Tasting operates," Fox reports. "We're simply combining our tools and resources with Foley Family Wines to enhance our position as the leading marketing and media company in the wine tourism industry."

About Foley Family Wines

Established in 1996 by Bill Foley with the acquisition of Lincourt Vineyards in California's Santa Ynez Valley, Foley Family Wines has grown to become a major producer, marketer, and distributor of highly-acclaimed, handcrafted wines from many of the world's great vineyards. Each brand in the company's portfolio is distinct and autonomous with its own identity, style, vineyard designation, technique, and personnel. Based in Sonoma, California, Foley Family Wines owns the following properties: Foley Estates (Santa Rita Hills, CA), Lincourt Vineyards (Santa Ynez Valley, CA), Merus (Napa Valley, CA), Chalk Hill (Sonoma County, CA), Sebastiani (Sonoma County, CA), Kuleto (Napa Valley, CA), Altvs (Napa, CA), Three Rivers Winery (Walla Walla, WA), Firestone Vineyard (Santa Ynez Valley, CA), Eos (Paso Robles, CA), Vavasour (Marlborough, New Zealand), Clifford Bay (Marlborough, New Zealand).

About Touring & Tasting Marketing and Media

Based in Santa Barbara, California, Touring & Tasting Marketing and Media has enjoyed the enviable position as the "Premier Guide to Wine Country" for 18 years. In addition to producing the renowned, national Touring & Tasting magazine, the company provides turnkey, multi-tiered marketing and promotional programs to wine country businesses. Touring & Tasting is also the leader in promoting wine tourism as an industry. The company sponsors the nation's annual Wine Tourism Conference, Wine Bloggers Conference, and numerous regional festivals and events promoting wine tourism across the U.S.

SOURCE Foley Family Wines