Black Dog Wine Company will be on hand for the opening of the Robinson Township Parks & Recreation Summer Concert Series at Burkett Park Saturday, June 14. (Photo courtesy of Black Dog Wine Company)

By Lourdes Daughtry, West Hills Gazette

Black Dog Wine Company is getting ready for a busy season, as it returns to the Robinson Township Parks & Recreation Summer Concert Series at Burkett Park. After previously holding the concert contract a few years ago, the local winery is returning and excited to reconnect with its growing fan base. 

“We’ve been in business for about eight years,” said Mark Rozum, owner of Black Dog Wine Company. “I’m actually a former software engineer, so this is kind of a hobby gone mad for me.”

The first evet in the concert series will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at Daniel P. Tallon Memorial Field at Burkett Park.

Admission is free, and food and alcohol will be available for purchase at 6 p.m.

The band Velveeta, a State College-based group that specializes in ‘80s music, will be featured. Food trucks will be on hand featuring Emporio: A Meatball Joint, VAYA, Frios Gourmet Pops and Black Dog Wine Company.

Black Dog Wine, located just outside of Oakdale on Steubenville Pike, makes all of its own wine and sources grapes from Lake Erie. Rozum explained that what began as weekend winemaking in his garage quickly took off. After getting laid off from his job, he looked into what it would take to “quote, unquote, go pro” in the winemaking business.

After converting his garage and traveling to concerts, festivals and farmers markets, the business took off. Rozum said the business is up to almost 5,000 cases. “So the growth is there,” he said.

This summer, Black Dog Wine Company will introduce some new offerings to the concert series.

“We have canned wine spritzers that will be available that are really good,” he said. “They’re low-alcohol, just a touch of sweetness. We have those in four flavors.”

He also mentioned a sparkling sangria and a sparkling dry rosé.

“It’s easier for customers to come up, grab a can and go,” Rozum explained. “We’re not permitted to sell by the bottle out there… but with the number of canned offerings we have this year, it makes it easier for us and my staff to handle the load and the volume.” 

Live music is an important part of Black Dog’s brand, so the concert series is a natural fit.

“At our winery, we do live music year-round,” he said. “So it kind of fits our vibe and our brand,” Rozum said. “It helps us reach new customers.” 

When asked about memorable events, Rozum mentioned the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

“We’ve been doing that for several years,” he said. “So I start to recognize a few names and faces. I don’t see some people often, but when they do, they stock up.”

He also considered the risks of leaving his tech job to start the business. “I literally left a nice, comfortable six-figure-a-year salary to the joys of uncertainty and entrepreneurship,” he said. “It’s been great.” 

The hard work has paid off. “We’ve done very well, like at different wine competitions — both local ones as well as like San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition,” he said. “I have multiple double gold medals from there… maybe they issue a hundred double golds, and I have a couple from there.” 

What is his motivation? 

“Why not?” he said, laughing. 

Black Dog Wine Company will be serving at the 2025 Robinson Township concerts throughout the summer — make sure to check out the interview below. If you’re in the Oakdale area, Rozum invites you to stop by and say hello. He’ll even buy you a Coke.

Lourdes Daughtry is a student at Temple University and one of 10 Pittsburgh Media Partnership summer interns.