BottleRock Napa Valley, presented by JaM Cellars, recently announced the lineup of celebrated restaurants, wineries and craft breweries and distilleries to complement the festival's musical lineup during the three-day event, May 23-25.
According to a news release, BottleRock guests will enjoy an array of dining options throughout the festival grounds at the Napa Valley Expo featuring many of the most renowned restaurants, pop-ups and food trucks from the Napa Valley, San Francisco and beyond, offering a variety of cuisines with newly added Asian offerings including Japanese and Vietnamese, plus wood-fired pizzas and authentic Mexican food. As always, BottleRock offers delicious Mediterranean, Italian, American barbecue, fried chicken, burgers, fries and elevated add-ons (think truffles and caviar!), as well as street tacos, dumplings, sweet treats and innovative seasonal plates and bowls including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options that will speak to the first taste of summer and the best of Napa Valley.
The 2025 festival lineup is a foodie’s wish list, the news release continued, including Mustards Grill, Morimoto Asia, Slanted Door Napa, La Toque, PRESS Restaurant, Oenotri, Morimoto Napa, Cole's Chop House, Charlie's, Goose & Gander, A16, Torc, Compline Restaurant, Loveski Deli, Omakase, Oakville Grocery, Boon Fly Café, Under-Study by PRESS, Nopalito, Chispa, Stateline Road Smokehouse, Pizzeria Delfina, Moro, Tarla Mediterranean Grill, Zuzu, The Q Restaurant & Bar, Ristorante Allegria, Osha Thai, Sumo Dog, Winston’s Cafe & Bakery, Market, Di filippo Wood Fired Pizza, Imagination on Fire, Napa Palisades Saloon, The Garden By Tannery Bend Beerworks, Empress M, Taqueria Rosita, El Garage, New England Lobster & Crab Shack, Lao Table, HopMonk Tavern, Villa Corona, Amy's Drive Thru, El Porteño Empanadas, Mo's Hot Dogs, The Original Burgerdog, Phat Salads & Wraps, Napa Yard, Sarmentine Artisan Boulanger, Cochinita, Curry Up Now, Mustards Bar Taco, Drewski's Grilled Cheese Truck, Cooked by Gio, Gerard's Paella, Nash & Proper, OHM Coffee Roasters, Kara's Cupcakes, Madeleine's Macarons, Doughpamine, It's Always Sunny Sorbet, Sweetie Pies Bakery, Vintage Sweet Shoppe, brewed., Mariapilar Ice Creamery, and The Chocolate Dippery.
“Nine years later and JaM Cellars is once again thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of BottleRock Napa Valley. It’s one of the longest-tenured music festival sponsorships and a testament to how wine, music and food can come together to create elevated experiences and lasting memories,” said John Anthony Truchard, founder and CEO of JaM Cellars. “Each year, we work with BottleRock to up the ante adding new Butter wines to the lineup and bringing exciting new artists to the JaMPad, our branded pop-up stage activation. 2025 will be no exception with exciting up-close-and-personal performances alongside the full lineup of Butter wines. There really is no other festival like BottleRock Napa Valley.”
Joining JaM Cellars, many of the region’s heralded wineries will offer their finest, with over 100 vintages and varietals being served, including Caymus Vineyards, Cardinale, Kosta Browne Winery, JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset, Paul Hobbs Winery, The House of Far Niente, Shafer Vineyards, The Duckhorn Portfolio, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Schramsberg Vineyards, Mumm Sparkling, Emmolo Wines, Beaulieu Vineyard, Venge Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Robledo Family Winery, Bennett Lane Winery, Clif Family Winery, Art House Wines, and Honrama Cellars.
Craft brews and seltzers feature a mix of fan favorites and brews from premium producers such as Lagunitas Brewing Co., Coors Light, Pacifico, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Coors Banquet, Athletic Brewing Co., and Simply Spiked Lemonade, the news release noted.
Wine cabanas and beverage bars will be conveniently located throughout the festival grounds. All bars will be stocked with delicious pours from premium Napa Valley vintners, dozens of craft beers and artisanal cocktails made with top-shelf spirits including Tito's Handmade Vodka, High West Whiskey, Don Julio Tequila, Aperol, 21Seeds Infused Tequila, and Hendrick's Gin. Specialty nonalcoholic beverage companies Waterloo Sparkling Water, Liquid Death Mountain Water, and Red Bull will also be on hand providing refreshing pick-me-ups, along with mocktails, nonalcoholic beers, wines and spirits located at the Good Times Alc-Free bar.
In addition to the many food and beverage offerings, BottleRock Napa Valley offers an exciting and diverse lineup of musical artists and performers, including headliners Green Day, Justin Timberlake and Noah Kahan and more than 70 additional bands on six music stages, plus the highly entertaining Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage featuring top chef and celebrity mashups. Details on the 2025 Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage will be announced at a later date.
General admission tickets, including all fees, begin at $233 per person and are available at bottlerocknapavalley.com.
CIA at Copia announces Reel Taste Film Awards
The Culinary Institute of America at Copia recently announced its latest event series, the Reel Taste Film Awards, which will gather chefs, filmmakers and artists from around the country together in Napa, according to a news release.
In partnership with the Napa Valley Film Festival, Copia will honor three films that illustrate the complex relationships among culture, art and food, encouraging guests to explore this connection through attending filmmaker panel discussions, immersive dining experiences, and cooking and beverage classes. Additional funding for the CIA at Copia’s Flavors of Film series and Reel Taste Awards is made possible through the city of Napa's Tourism Improvement District.
The series will kick off on Thursday, May 1, with a tribute to the creator of Netflix’s “Chef’s Table” series, David Gelb, who will be joined by special guest panelists and renowned chefs featured in “Chef’s Table: Legends,” the latest installment of the series, Thomas Keller, Alice Waters and Jamie Oliver. Other highlights include tributes to the documentaries “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” directed by Gelb, with the presentation of the Culinary Documentary Award. In addition, directors Oliver and Simon English will be presented with the Spirit of Copia Award for their documentary “Feeding Tomorrow.”
“We are proud to launch this annual event to bring attention to the very best in culinary storytelling and welcome these amazing films and filmmakers into our freshman class,” said Thomas Bensel, managing director for the CIA’s California campuses.
The schedule for the three-day event can be found online at ciaatcopia.com/reel-taste-film-awards with additional details, including special guests, and more available soon. All events will take place at CIA at Copia (500 First St. in Napa). Ticket prices range from $75 to $350.
Napa Valley Wine Academy expands beverage education with cocktail series at The Bitter Bar
Napa Valley Wine Academy, America’s leading provider of beverage education, is launching an exciting new chapter in spirits education with the Taste Coach Cocktail Class Series, debuting at The Bitter Bar in Napa, according to a news release. This hands-on series will offer a deep dive into classic cocktail techniques, bringing world-class spirits education to the heart of wine country.
The No Handy, No RTO, a mezcal-based cocktail, was served at The Bitter Bar in downtown Napa on Sunday, Feb. 2.
Nick Otto/Register file photo
The Taste Coach Cocktail Class Series is set to launch with its first event, Gin Edition, on May 8 at The Bitter Bar. This exciting new series is designed to give cocktail enthusiasts and home bartenders the knowledge and skills to craft essential cocktails with confidence. Each session will highlight a different spirit, diving into its unique characteristics, history and best cocktail applications.
The inaugural class will be led by Brianna Darcy, master mixologist and head bartender at The Bitter Bar, who will guide attendees through the creation of five must-know gin cocktails. Participants will gain hands-on experience, expert mixology tips, and a deeper understanding of gin’s versatility behind the bar.
This ongoing series will continue throughout the year, featuring new spirit-focused themes, including whiskey, rum, tequila and more. Each class will provide an immersive experience, equipping guests with foundational cocktail techniques, insider tricks, and classic recipes to take their home bartending skills to the next level, the news release continues.
Seats for the Gin Edition are limited to 14 guests, and tickets are priced at $99 per person. Attendees will walk away with five cocktail recipes, an in-depth understanding of the featured spirit, and the confidence to mix drinks like a pro.
“I’m excited to bring cocktails into Napa and create a space where both locals and visitors can unwind and explore mixology,” Darcy said. “Partnering with Napa Valley Wine Academy lets us offer a fun, hands-on way to elevate cocktail skills in Napa’s vibrant beverage scene."
"Napa is known for wine, but craft cocktails are gaining momentum,” added Mick Salyer, owner of The Bitter Bar and Zuzu. “This collaboration introduces more people to the art of mixology while providing a fun, social experience in downtown Napa. I’m very excited!”
Friends and family of Berryessa's Turtle Rock bar collected the money pined to the ceiling of the cafe to donate to UCSF and celebrate the 15-year 'cancerversary' of Elijah Leung.
Most of Napa’s River Park Shopping Center tenants cater to locals, not wine country visitors. Now a handful of tenants have left the center, or plan to. What's up at River Park?
Protests will take place in Napa and across the Bay Area on Thursday as part of what are expected to be over 900 nationwide demonstrations for May Day.
