The Mountain Winery

High in the foothills above Saratoga, at the end of a winding private drive, an old stone winery building faces a small outdoor amphitheater. Behind the stage is an ornate stone portal. Beyond the seats the lights of Silicon Valley spread out below. This is the Mountain Winery, once Paul Masson's "vineyard in the sky," and since 1958 one of the most distinctive concert venues in the Bay Area. It is a small, seated venue where big-name acts play to a crowd a fraction of the size of an arena.

From Palo Alto it is about 30 to 35 minutes by car. This guide covers the history, how a concert night works, the rules the venue publishes, the wine tasting and tours you can do without a ticket and how to get up the hill. Our Saratoga guide covers the town below.

Paul Masson's vineyard in the sky

Paul Masson came to California from Burgundy in 1878 and went to work for Charles Lefranc, a French winemaker in the Santa Clara Valley. He married Lefranc's daughter Louise in 1888 and made his name with sparkling wine, earning the nickname "the Champagne King of California." He bought the Saratoga hilltop in 1901 and built a winery there he called La Cresta. The venue's history page dates its completion to 1905.

The 1906 earthquake wrecked the cellar. Masson rebuilt it. The ornate entrance portal from St. Patrick's Church in San Jose, also damaged by the quake, was set into the new building. That portal is the backdrop for every concert today. The venue tells a longer story about the portal's origins in Spain, which is part of the lore. Masson entertained lavishly at his chateau on the hill and survived Prohibition by making sacramental wine. He sold the winery to Martin Ray in 1936 and died in 1940.

Winemaking on the mountain stopped in 1952. Six years later the first summer concert series began. The music has continued ever since. The Paul Masson brand became famous for its "We will sell no wine before its time" television ads with Orson Welles, though by then the wine was made elsewhere. The site is California Historical Landmark No. 733 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2004 the current owners replanted 3.5 acres of Pinot Noir and 2.5 acres of Chardonnay on the old estate.

How a concert night works

The concert series runs mainly through the warmer months. Past headliners named by the venue include Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Neil Young and Ringo Starr. The concert series page listed no upcoming shows in early November 2026. Watch the venue's concert series page for 2027 dates.

1. Tickets. Concerts are sold through AXS, not Ticketmaster. All sales are online. Many shows sell out quickly, so set up an AXS account ahead of time. The on-site box office is cashless and adds a $5 fee per ticket.
2. Arrival. The parking lot opens two and a half hours before showtime. The venue, its restaurants and concessions open two hours before.
3. Dinner. Chateau La Cresta serves a three-course fine dining meal with valley views. La Cucina Italiana, listed as new this season on the Winery Deck above the stage, serves a set Italian dinner with a deck seat. Casual stands sell sandwiches, salads and flatbreads. Reservations are strongly recommended and require a concert ticket.
4. The show. Performances go on rain or shine. Cell reception is poor on the mountain, so download your tickets before you leave home.
5. Leaving. One driveway serves the whole hilltop. Expect a slow roll down after the encore.

The venue also runs Signature Events, such as Puppies and Pinot, Country Nights and benefit concerts for local schools.

Bag policy and house rules

According to the venue's FAQ:

• Bags must be clear and no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches. Oversized bags, backpacks and purses must go back to the car, with special consideration for parents with infants and for medical needs.
• One sealed bottle of water is allowed. No refillable glass or metal containers.
• No outside food or drink in the venue. No outside alcohol anywhere on the property.
• No tailgating or picnicking on the grounds, citing fire danger and wildlife. First-come picnic tables in the parking lot are the one exception.
• Small point-and-shoot cameras are allowed unless the artist objects. Flash, video and removable-lens cameras are not.
• The whole site is cashless: bars, restaurants, merchandise and parking take cards only.
• Age limits vary by show and require a physical government photo ID. Digital IDs and photos of IDs are not accepted.

Dress in layers. The venue warns that wind picks up after nightfall. The hilltop is also more exposed to sun during the day. It also notes that heels are hard work on the hills and stairs.

Getting there from Palo Alto

By car

Take Interstate 280 south to Highway 85 south and exit at Saratoga Avenue. Follow Saratoga Avenue west for about 3.7 miles as it becomes Big Basin Way and then Congress Springs Road (Highway 9). Turn right at Pierce Road at the Mountain Winery sign, then left at the gates 0.2 miles up. Allow 30 to 35 minutes without traffic, more on a summer Friday.

Concert night parking, as listed by the venue:

Only cars may use the driveway on concert nights. For safety, pedestrians and cyclists are not allowed beyond the main entrance.

Shuttles

The venue's getting here page lists paid round-trip shuttles run by Urban Worldwide from four pickup points: the DoubleTree at the Pruneyard in Campbell and the Safeway lot at Willow Glen Village (both leaving about two and a half hours before the event), plus the Lunardi's lot at Kings Court in Los Gatos and The Inn at Saratoga (both about an hour and a half before). Shuttles leave the winery about 20 minutes after the show with priority exit. The pass does not include admission.

Rideshare

Rideshare drop-off works, but pickups are slow. The venue holds rideshare cars at the gate at the bottom of the hill from 30 minutes before the show ends until the lot clears, about 45 minutes after the end. It runs a Redwood Deck Rideshare Lounge in the main plaza where you can wait with a drink.

Wine tasting and tours without a concert

The hilltop is worth a visit outside concert season too. The wine tasting page listed Friday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., with a note that hours vary with concerts, special events and weather. Flights were listed at $20 for whites, $20 for reds and $30 for the estate wines, poured from the replanted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. No reservation is needed, though groups of six or more are asked to RSVP. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome at the tasting. Outside food is not allowed, but small bites are sold.

The venue also lists historical tours on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and backstage and property tours for groups by request through guest services. Since winter hours can change, check the site before you drive up. Our wine tasting guide covers other Santa Cruz Mountains wineries closer to Palo Alto.

Make a day of it

Saratoga Village sits at the bottom of the hill on Big Basin Way, with restaurants for a meal before or after. Our guide to where to eat in Saratoga lists places confirmed open this fall. Two more Saratoga stops are minutes away. Montalvo Arts Center has free gardens and trails. Hakone Gardens is a Japanese garden on the hillside. For a summer of concerts, compare the Mountain Winery with Shoreline Amphitheatre and Stanford's Frost Amphitheater.

If you would rather not drive home after a late show, the venue has partner rates at hotels including the Aloft in Cupertino, which it calls its closest partner hotel. You can also compare hotels in Saratoga and Los Gatos for your date.

Frequently asked questions