NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Through August 15, 2005)
CONTACT: Atlanta International Wine Summit (AIWS)
Pat Driscoll, President & CEO, Tel (404) 634-4175
Press Contact: Dan Thompson, Tel (678) 985-9494

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LA Publishing & Media Group acquires Atlanta International Wine Summit

The South’s Oldest Wine Judging Organization Joins Family of
Other Wine-related Companies

(Atlanta, Georgia, July 12, 2005)—LA Publishing and Media Group LLC (“LAPMG”) has executed a definitive agreement to acquire the Atlanta International Wine Summit (“AIWS”). AIWS is an Atlanta-based company, and host of The Atlanta International Wine Summit Wine Competition held annually in Atlanta. LAPMG is a holding company controlled by Vanquish Acquisition Partners LLC, a New York-based merchant banking firm specializing in making control acquisitions within niche segments of the media, leisure and entertainment industries.

AIWS represents the third acquisition completed by LAPMG of southeastern-based publishing and events companies primarily focusing in the area of wine and spirits. In 2004, LAPMG completed acquisitions last year of The Wine Report Magazine® and the Wine South Festival, both based in Atlanta.

“We are very proud that AIWS will become a member of the LAPMG family,” said Patricia Driscoll, President and CEO of AIWS, “and find ourselves most fortunate to have elevated our 22-year history of wine judging based in the South, and to be affiliated with such companies as The Wine Report® and Wine South.”

“It is our intention to develop the AIWS into one of the top wine judging bodies in the industry,” said Joseph Del Valle, a director of LAPMG, and a senior partner with Vanquish Acquisition Partners. “One of our objectives is to reorganize the tasting panels to include the most respected sommeliers in the industry,” Del Valle added.

The AIWS awards gold, silver and bronze medals, as well as other distinguished trophies, to deserving wineries throughout North America and the world including wines from most major international wine growing regions. The competition was founded by the former wine writer for the Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Bruce Galphin (now deceased) in 1983. “The Summit,” as many have come to call the competition, has historically judged 1,000 to 1,500 wines each year based on tasting panels conducted in Atlanta utilizing the structure of the U.C. Davis “20-Point” rating system. Awards are announced in late summer or early fall each year after a busy summer of wine entries and assessment. 2005 results will be published in the October issue of The Wine Report®.

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2200 Parklake Drive, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30345, Tel: 678.985.9494, Fax: 678.985.9644

 

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