bill foley

Cosentino Winery Closes Its Doors

Filed under: Wine

Last week I mentioned Mitch Cosentino's new wine project with golfer Fred Couples but I was unaware of the troubles that have befallen Cosentino Winery. Wines & Vines reports that he 70,000-case winery in Yountville, California closed its doors on November 11 and is now for sale. Mitch Cosentino, who began making wines in 1980 is no longer involved with the company. In 1991 Cosentino partnered with Larry Soldinger, a Chicago CPA, and his wife Edie. Soldinger bought the controlling stake in the parent company, Cosentino Signature Wines PLC, from Mitch Cosentino in 1992 and became operating chairman. Cosentino was no longer involved in the management of the company, but served as its winemaker until recently. In a statement on the Cosentino Winery website Soldinger praised Mitch Cosentino saying in part: "Thank you Mitch, for your leadership, passion and total dedication in the making of our incredible wines. There is no doubt that you have made some of the finest wines in the world."

The building on Highway 29 could be attractive to a number of wine companies including Bill Foley, the winery-gobbling billionaire who recently bought Eos winery in Paso Robles. Foley Family Wines owns a number of wineries in Napa Valley.

Tags: bill foley, cosentino winery, mitch cosentino, napa valley wine, wine

Bill Foley Adds Eos Wines To His Empire

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Lately it seems like every time I turn around billionaire Bill Foley is buying something new. The owner of Foley Family Wines recently announced the purchase of Eos winery in Paso Robles, California. The sale includes the Eos, Cupa Grandis, Lost Angel and Novella labels.

Eos winery was founded by the Arciero family in 1985 but sold to Sapphire Wines in 2007. The winery now produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, Pinot Grigio among others along with really delicious dessert wines including a Late Harvest Moscato and an outstanding Zinfandel Port. Wines are in the $12 to $40 range. It puts out over 200,00 cases per year and is one of the stars of the growing Paso Robles region. The winery switched to being 100% solar powered in 2008. Back in May 2010, the winery went into receivership.

Foley Family Wines is based in Sonoma but has brands all the way from Napa to New Zealand. Foley is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Financial Inc. He is also the developer of Rock Creek Cattle Company, an 80,000-acre working Montana ranch with a golf community and real estate development as well as other resort and farm properties around the world.

Tags: bill foley, eos winery, eos wines, paso robles, william p foley, william p foley ii

Wine-Loving Billionaire Picks Up Sonoma Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Billionaire WIlliam P Foley II has been on a worldwide buying spree lately. Just last month we mentioned that he had picked up a luxury New Zealand resort. This month he's back in the U.S. adding Sonoma's Les Mars hotel to his growing portfolio. This is far from his first purchase in the area, he bought the Chalk Hill Winery in August and purchased Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery in 2008. The purchase price for Les Mars was not disclosed but the deal should be finished next month.

The Les Mars is a well-regarded 16-room boutique hotel which is a secluded hideaway for the rich and famous. Rooms cost $575 to $725 a night. The Santa-Rosa Press Democrat reports that Les Mars also is home to the Cyrus Restaurant, one of the top restaurants in the foodie paradise of Healdsburg and holder of two Michelin stars. The Press-Democrat says that Foley is still looking at Sonoma County properties and wants to buy a flagship winery along Highway 29 in Napa County.

Tags: bill foley, cyrus restaurant, foley family wines, healdsburg, les mars hotels, sonoma, william p foley ii