Brilliant sunshine and blazing temperatures provided the perfect backdrop for the 3rd Annual Shotguns & Chardonnay event. It was held on Thursday, June 23, 2011 (11am – 6pm) at the Los Altos Rod and Gun Club in Los Gatos. Over 150 of Silicon Valley’s best and brightest turned out to fire off some rounds in between networking and noshing on sweet BBQ bites provided by former Google chef turned local business owner, Dontaye Ball.

Silicon Valley investors and entrepreneurs are known for being straight shooters, but we had no idea how true this was! At any given moment one could turn his/her head and see exploding clays in every direction. From tech to targets, we’re a well-aimed group. As the afternoon moved from firearms to Fruit-forward, the staff at Savannah Channelle Vineyards graciously welcomed us into phase 2 of this day-long event. With sweeping views of the Valley and chilled Chardonnay in hand, we compared sunburns and start up stories.

The day wrapped with a visit from the famous Mis Anajitos taco truck and our satiated guests left with full bellies and great business ideas. Thank you to everyone who attended for making this event such a success!

Ammo and alcohol? It’s usually a dangerous pairing, but attendees turned this combo into a fun-filled networking event. On Thursday, August 5, 2010 (12pm – 6pm) Cubicles around Silicon Valley were abandoned early as employees, friends and investors headed south to the Los Altos Rod and Gun Club for the 2nd Annual Shotguns & Chardonnay.

To celebrate a very successful year, rookies with rifles and seasoned shooters turned out for a hot afternoon of drilling clays and networking over piles of shells. After guests enjoyed a BBQ lunch provided by the locally famous Uncle Franks BBQ & Catering of Sunnyvale, they headed to Saratoga’s Savannah Channelle Vineyards for wine tastings, tours and tacos! Award-winning Pinots and the Mis Antojitos taco truck rounded out a perfect day!

Nothing tells the story of the day like great photos! Here are some pictures from the event, taken by San Francisco photographer, Michael Popso.

We wanted to host an event that would draw entrepreneurs from around Silicon Valley, to help celebrate the success of MerchantCircle, the largest social network for local businesses. Our goal was to put together a different event, something that would stand out and also create a new tradition in Silicon Valley.

We kicked around a few ideas and finally settled on an afternoon of trap shooting and wine tasting. We felt this would make for a fun event, but also be a great way for local entrepreneurs to network with each other.

The 1^st annual Shotguns & Chardonnay took place on Thursday, June 11, 2009 (12pm – 6pm). It started with an early afternoon of shooting trap at the Los Altos Rod & Gun Club, followed by wine tasting and a tour at Savannah Channelle Vineyards.

We want to thank everyone who came out for the event, your attendance built the foundation for an annual tradition in Silicon Valley.