From BottleRock to Festival Napa Valley, there are countless wine country events during the summer, but one of my favorites is the concert series at Robert Mondavi Winery. The five week festival is now in its 49th year. With a passion to bring musical acts to the vineyard, the late Margrit Mondavi founded the series in 1969. A portion of proceeds from the series are donated to Napa Valley-based charitable organizations that focus on music. This year the portion will be given to the Napa Valley Unified School District’s music programs.
The concerts take place every Saturday evening, starting on June 30 and ending on July 28. The lineup is: Gavin DeGraw and The California Honeydrops (June 30), Citizen Cope and Vintage Trouble (July 7), Brandi Carlile (July 14), X Ambassadors and Cobi (July 21), Fitz and The Tantrums with The Mowgli’s (July 28). The stage is set up in the winery’s grand courtyard and it’s an intimate venue ideal for enjoying music, a picnic, and of course, wine!
Outside food is allowed inside for the concert, but if you don’t want to pack a cooler, there are vendors, like Cousins Lobster, Sweet Shoppe, and Ben & Jerry’s, selling food during the show. For the best experience, purchase tickets that include a luxe dinner in the famed To Kalon Vineyard. It starts with a wine reception in Robert Mondavi’s cellar, then guests are escorted to the concert venue (around 5:45 p.m.) where long tables are placed in between each row of vines. Dinner is served from 6 to 7 p.m. and the meal includes wine. Plus, you’re in a semi-private elevated area for the show. Sometimes special guests, like winemaker Geneviève Janssens, are at the event and mingle with the crowd.
Tickets for the Robert Mondavi Summer Concert Series are now on sale. Note that they usually sell out fairly quickly.
