OPERA AND A SCULPTURE GARDEN: GROWING CULTURE ALONG WITH VINEYARDS AT SALERNO WINERY IN RAMONA

By Miriam Raftery

Hear audio clip of Jorge D'Soria, a resident artist at Salerno (photo, right), performing his Pavarotti-style operatic rendition:  http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/36dl3ft21v/opera-jorge_D_soria.mp3

September 21, 2014 (Ramona) - Opera and fine art in East County? Bravo! Salerno Winery in Ramona has forged a partnership that’s music to the ears of  those who love opera, sculptures and Italian-style wine.

Herman Salerno, an opera singer from Italy, and his wife, Rose, founded the winery and began displaying sculptures from a friend’s collection. Now, they have now teamed up with Jaime Chaljon, a Mexican businessman, to unveil an expanded sculpture garden featuring works by over 20 world-renowned artists including Jorge and Javier Martin, Tan Da WU, Julian Bravo, and Pedro Cervantes.

The winery is open on Fridays,  Saturdays and Sundays, when guests can enjoy not only wine and pizza cooked up in an outdoor oven, but also performances by Salerno and well known Mexican operatic stars.

At the grand opening celebration, guests dined on paella and savored wine, truffles and port while savoring sculptural works and operatic performances from “Figaro” to “Funniculi, Funnicula”, as well as some works in English such as “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady.

Visitors to the winery can stroll along pathways with streams, a fountain, and a life-size chess board while admiring the sculptures, from Olympian athletes to entwined lovers. 

Wine tasting is offered at an outdoor tasting room and on a deck overhanging vineyards and the sculpture garden. 

Soon, an expansive new tasting room will be built, and rumor has it an indoor stage for opera performances on the property is also in the works.

As for the wine, Salerno winery uses traditional hand-crafted Italian methods that have won more than 65 awards, including national and international honors.

For more information, visit www.salernowinery.com.