It used to be fairly rare, but today, more and more wineries are hosting concerts on their grounds. Some even put together summer-long series of shows.
Three of our favorite winery concert series are entering the home stretch of their 2012 seasons. So if you think you might enjoy some music with your Merlot, some tunes with your Tempranillo or some B-sharps with your Chardonnay, the time to make plans is now.
Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg, Calif., is hosting big-name concerts for the 22nd consecutive year. Al Jarreau and George Duke will be performing there on Aug. 11, and Huey Lewis and The News are set for a Sept. 1 concert adjacent to the vineyards.
Click here for more information.
Another well-known Sonoma County winery, Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards in Windsor, is presenting the Jazzy Summer Nights concert series. One performance remains in the 2012 series, by Deborah Winters on Aug. 18. Seating is limited, and Yucatan food will be provided by Mateo Granados from his legendary food truck.
You can get ticket information here.
In the southern part of the state, in the Temecula Valley winegrowing region, Thornton Winery is presenting its 24th annual “Champagne Jazz Concert Series.” And the good news is that it runs well into October.
There’s a show tomorrow night featuring Rick Braun and Richard Elliot, and the series wraps up on Oct. 21 with Hiroshima and Marc Antoine. In-between, featured performers include Jonathan Butler with Warren Hill, Dave Koz with BeBe Winans, George Benson, Boney James, Peter White, the Rippingtons and Fourplay.
Tickets can be ordered here.
Summer will be gone before you know it, so make plans to soak in some sounds at a winery concert series before the weather renders one of life’s great pleasures dormant until next summer.
