1970s legends Foreigner in wine tour

In what may be the first ever such cross promotion, 1970s rock behemoths Foreigner will tour America and Europe with Wente Vineyards, the oldest family-owned winery in California.

The Legends of Wine & Rock tour will cross the United States and parts of Europe this year. A limited number of tickets per concert – costing US$150 – also receive a free CD, signed photo and an invitation to an exclusive Wente Vineyards wine tasting with members of the band.

The idea originated from annual concerts that Wente Vineyards holds at its property in the Livermore Valley, 30 miles from the San Francisco Bay.

‘Wente has this beautiful vineyard up in California, and when Foreigner played there last year, we thought, why not bring some of that wine and spirit on the road?’ band manager Phil Carson told decanter.com.

‘It not only feels like the first time, it is the first time,’ he said of the tour, which is due to visit eight US states, the UK, Germany and Switzerland. It will hit the UK in June, playing dates in Wolverhampton and London’s Shepherds Bush Empire.

Carson, who began his career as London-based manager of Atlantic Records in the late 1960s, and worked closely with Led Zeppelin among other groups, said he is a genuine wine lover. ‘When I lived in Europe, I had a yacht and would go to Bordeaux for several days at a time.’

He brought Foreigner back together in 2004 – the line-up now includes drummer Jason Bonham, the son of the late and legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. The band is best known for 1970s hits such as Cold As Ice and Feels Like The First Time.

Carson likes Wente wines because ‘they have a more European feel.’ Their Chardonnay, to me, it tastes like a decent white Burgundy. Many American Chardonnays are kind of heavy,’ he said.

Written by Panos Kakaviatos