By Khalida Sarwari
What kind of red complements the blues and old-school R&B flavor of the South City Blues Band? One place to find out is Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, which is bringing back its annual music series this summer, giving guests a chance to sip on wine while listening to music outdoors every weekend through September.
The music series runs through Sept. 25 and takes place every Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m.
The lineup of acts is heavy on jazz, blues, rock-and-roll, Top 40 and classic rock this year, said Luke Piro, a spokesman for the winery. Most of the acts, he said, will be four to six-piece bands.
This upcoming weekend, Isis & The Cold Truth will take the stage on May 21, followed by Engine Room on May 22. Ric Hines and Bornia Boys will play the last weekend in May. The lineup for June is as follows: Aki Kumar and LenCat the weekend of June 4-5; South City Blues Band and Chain of Fools June 11-12; Dolce Musica and @Jazz June 18-19; Ric Hines and Engine Room June 25-26.
One of the highlights of the series is sure to be the Bedrockers, a San Francisco-based rock-and- roll band, on Sept. 10.
The music series kicked off on May 1 with Rom MC & the MC’s, a blues band visiting from Tahiti.
The concerts are complimentary for members of Savannah- Chanelle and $10 for non-members.
This year marks the winery’s sixth year hosting the music series. Typically, the concerts draw anywhere from 100 to 200 people, according to Piro. Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic and take advantage of the tables and umbrellas on the villa grounds where the concerts take place.
“We heavily encourage bringing your own picnic food, because we’re not licensed to have food,” said Piro. “There’s plenty of chairs.”
Seating is first come, first-served. Those with children and teens may want to note that the Saturday evening concerts are open only to those 21 and older while the Sunday afternoon concerts are open to all ages. Tickets can be purchased in the tasting room on the day of the performance.
Savannah-Chanelle is located at 23600 Congress Springs Road in Saratoga. The tasting room is open Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
For more information about the winery, call 408.741.2934 or visit savannahchanelle.com.
