Rupert Murdoch to get into the wine business

Murdoch reportedly closed on a 13-acre property that features a winery, cave and main home. (FBN)

Rupert Murdoch is reportedly buying a winery called Moraga Vineyards in Los Angeles’s Bel Air neighborhood.

The Wall Street Journals reports that Murdoch closed on the purchase of the vineyard on Tuesday for $28.8 million. Murdoch is chairman and CEO of  21st Century Fox, parent company of Fox News and of News Corp., the parent  company of Dow Jones & Co., publisher of the Wall Street Journal.

The 13-acre property features an estate with a winery and cave, plus a 7,500-square-foot main home with three bedrooms, four bathrooms, an octagonal dressing room, and maid’s quarters.

The estate was owned by Tom Jones, the former CEO of Northrop Corp., and his wife Ruth, who had lived there since 1959. It previously belonged to Victor Fleming, director of "Gone with the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz."

According to Wine Spectator, the estate makes an acclaimed red wine, which is a blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

The sale of the winery was held up while Murdoch awaited the state of California to grant him a liquor license, which he needed to take possession of the property in order to conduct wine tastings.

Murdoch reportedly plans to continue making wine, as the previous owners did. “He’s excited about learning the wine-making business,”  listing agent Jim Kline of Surterre Properties told the Journal.