BottleRock is an event like no other. Nowhere else can you hear top artists, sip on the best food and drink from culinary masters, and be surrounded by fine wine. This three-day festival takes place Memorial Day weekend at the Napa Valley Expo, and kicks off summer right in the spirit.
Attendees not only enjoyed the best drinks and snacks in one place, but also enjoyed a delicious treat as they watched their favourite celebrities interact with top chefs and prepare delicious snacks on the culinary stage.
Here are some highlights from the culinary stage over the weekend: Cameron Diaz poured herself a glass of her Avalin wine before cooking up a classic Smashburger with rapper Nelly. Bradley Cooper created an amazing Philly cheesesteak sandwich for girlfriend Gigi Hadid, and fans lined up to get their hands on one of the lucky few. In addition to the entertainment on the culinary stage throughout the weekend, festival-goers also had plenty of food and drink options.
Here are some of our recommended drinks and snacks.
Monday Bakery served up their signature croissants with a delicious classic lobster roll. I decided to try their Bangers and Mash Croissant “The Sheeran” – a perfect dish, packed with more flavours than you'd expect. Highly recommended! Other favourites here are modestly named after the weekend's set, including the Mt Tam, Ham & (Pearl) Jam Puff Pocket, (Mana) Crispenada, Iced Quinny (Stone Age) Sundae, and House Made Cold Brew with *Va Nelly (it's getting cold!) and *Stevie Nicks Cinny Stix. Cooked by Gio kept the afternoon going with Lumpiang Shanghai's (10 pieces per order). Croccante Artisan Pizza delivered high quality pizza in no time. The Maryland Blue Crab Cake Sandwich from New England Lobster and Crab Shack was definitely the shining star – meaty crab cakes served with lime vinaigrette slaw and topped with spicy aioli – incredibly delicious!
For wine, JaM Cellars is the best! How could you not want the best Chardonnay? JaM Cellars is back for their 8th year in a row and they brought some new wines. Attendees got to sip on their Butter Chardonnay, Butter Bubbles, Butter Cab, plus the new Butter Sauv Blanc and Butter Pinot Noir, all while listening to music from Cold War Kids, The Beaches, Say She She, Tors, and more at JaMPad!
Besides wines from JaM Cellars, the standout drink of the night was Hendrick's Gin's famous three-level bar, set up next to the culinary stage, where actors entertained attendees by blowing bubbles, handing out trinkets like fans, Polaroids and tattoos, and even riding unicycles around the area.
Cocktails featured the original Hendrick's Gin and Cabinet of Curiosities' latest limited edition, Grand Cabaret. The drinks lineup includes:
- Hendrick's Cucumber Lemonade: Hendrick's gin, lemon juice, cucumber juice, simple syrup, soda water, cucumber and lemon slices
- Grand Cabaret Spritz Royale: Hendrick's Grand Cabaret, cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, soda water, cucumber slices
- Strawberry Sundance: Hendrick's gin, fresh lemon juice, strawberry & vanilla syrup, soda water, cucumber slices, strawberries
- Hendrick's Butterfly Effect: Hendrick's Gin, Shallow Aloe liquor, Giardesca Aperitivo, fresh lemon juice, fresh honeydew juice, simple syrup
BottleRock is known as the first taste of summer, so it's no surprise – there's a ton of tempting upscale selections to satisfy your taste buds. Thankfully, attendees looking for a bit more fun can enjoy a second round of Latin-inspired fun at La Onda, a new festival taking place the weekend after BottleRock.
