Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

The historic Paul Masson facade, originally brought from Europe, backs the winery's concert stage.

Music at the Mountain Winery?

Negotiations are under way to resurrect summer concert series

By Sarah Lombardo

There may be music yet at the Mountain Winery.

After years of rumors, the Villa Montalvo Association took steps toward an agreement with the concert venue's principal owner, Monte Sereno resident Ravi Kumra, to bring back the winery's popular concert series this summer.

The vineyards have been virtually silent since just before Kumra bought the winery, in 1994, except for small dinner concerts at the winery's Chateau La Cresta restaurant.

"Discussions are taking place. We do not have an agreement in place," confirmed Bob Cullen, who represents Kumra and Mountain Winery Company Ltd. Cullen said he thought it would be safe to say that if an agreement is reached, it could probably come within the next 30 days. But the attorney said at this point, he is not making any predictions. "I can't be optimistic or pessimistic."

Promoter Bruce Labadie,who handles the concert series at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, also admitted discussions were ongoing, but declined to say with whom, when results could be expected or how good the chances are of having music in the vineyards this summer.

Even Daven Loomba, Kumra's brother and winery manager, wouldn't commit to anything, saying only that he was "99 percent sure" that there would be a concert series this summer.

Kumra himself was unavailable for comment.

But Juanell Waldo, a Santa Clara County associate planner handling the winery's use permit process, sounded a little more sure.

"It is my understanding that they want to get the permit issued by the spring for a concert series next summer," she said. Waldo said that although there has been an application for a use permit to hold concerts at the winery on file since October 1988, nothing has come of it until now.

Waldo confirmed that an environmental impact report is in progress and that she has a meeting Jan. 13 with representatives of the property to discuss what needs to be done before a public hearing on the issue can be set. But she said a public hearing could still easily be at least three months away.

Waldo said she thought one of the reasons the permit could be taking so long is a problem with roads on the property. Waldo said one road in particular, an access drive just inside the property, is a concern.

"I think that's part of what has held the issue up all these years, is what to do with that road," she said. According to Waldo, the drive is currently too narrow for emergency vehicles, but it most likely will not be widened. "That would leave a huge scar on the property that could be seen in the valley," she said.

Waldo said safety improvements have been made over the years, and the existence of other access drives will probably solve the problem. Waldo stressed that Pierce Road leading up to the winery was not a worry. "As far as I know, the roads in Saratoga have never been an issue," she said.

If the music series returns under Villa Montalvo management, it will be the first time it's been held since 1995, when Kumra and his associates bought the property. Begun in 1957 at what was then the Paul Masson Mountain Winery, the series enjoyed 30 years of success at the 1,750-seat arena, showcasing such artists as B.B. King, Johnny Mathis and conductor Arthur Fiedler.

In 1989, the winery sold to developer Ray Collishaw for $5.3 million. When Collishaw filed for bankruptcy in 1993 and put the property up for sale again, there was talk that Villa Montalvo or the city of Saratoga might buy the property then. But the Saratoga City Council decided against the idea, and Phil Boyce, a member of the Villa Montalvo board of directors, stressed that the villa was not interested in purchasing the property.

Saratoga city officials last August said they were reconsidering the possibility of purchasing the property, going so far as to enter into negotiations with Kumra, but the deal eventually fell through.

Labadie said the Montalvo-run concert series is not a new idea.

"We thought it was a good idea from the beginning," he said. "And then when the city was talking about buying the winery, our name came up again." But, he said, right now it is still just an idea.