As entwined in the history of the Napa Valley as the abundant vines cultivated there, this stone and shingle residence—sitting at the heart of an enchanting half-acre—represents the opportunity to own a piece of wine country yore. Constructed in the 1890s to house the Esmeralda Winery, which supplied the landmark Palace Hotel, the building was tastefully redesigned in 2007 by the highly acclaimed firm of Fisher Weisman. Charming original details and a timeless ambience were retained—apparent in Venetian plaster walls, rugged stonework, dramatic ceiling treatments, elegant archways, and strikingly detailed doors—while providing a host of desirable modern amenities and conveniences.
St. Helena, California | Arthur Goodrich, Sotheby’s International Realty – St. Helena Brokerage
The centerpiece of the residence is the great room, which sits beneath a vaulted skylit ceiling and is anchored by a walnut fireplace with inset antique mirrors. Among the other beguiling interior spaces are a library with a stone fireplace and an eye-catching coffered ceiling, a generous formal dining room with another arresting ceiling, and a French country–inspired chef’s kitchen with walnut millwork, top-caliber stainless-steel appliances, and a marble-topped island. A gracefully curving stairway rises to the second level and two bedrooms, a set of custom closets, and a generous bath with handsome walnut cabinets, surfaces of brown marble, and an oversized shower.
French doors throughout open to terraces and the pastoral grounds, which look pulled from the pages of a storybook, with wooden gates, a lilypond at the base of a hand-crafted stone fountain, a stately allée of olive trees, flourishing apricot tea roses lining romantic pathways, and ivy-draped stone walls. Even the estate’s Craftsman-style three-car garage, which includes a full upper-level apartment, is perfectly picturesque, swathed in Cécile Brünner roses.
The grounds allow for the most delightful outdoor living and entertaining. Behind the home is a lush garden courtyard, at the center of which is a swimming pool with distinctive deeply hued plaster. Alongside are an outdoor fireplace, an open-air kitchen with a built-in grill, and a bocce court. Accompanying these alfresco diversions is a bright, airy, light-filled pool house with a full bath, kitchen facilities, a fireplace, and—naturally, in nod to the property’s history—a wine cellar.
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