In the midst of the sweeping plains between the charming wine country towns of Petaluma and Sonoma lies a fertile sun drenched valley, famous for both premium vineyards and equestrian properties. Located by the charming town of Petaluma, just 50 minutes to San Francisco, and about a half hour to Napa and Sonoma, the location is perfect for a commute or as a weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life.
This 32+/- acre estate offers the best of amenities for wine and horse lovers alike. 21 acres of top quality grapes planted to Pinot and Syrah are grown here in the heart of the soon to be designated ‘Petaluma Gap’ Appellation. These can be personally managed or farmed under contract, so you can be an active winegrower or just sit back and literally enjoy the fruits of your endeavor if you prefer.
About 6-8 acres are dedicated to the equestrian component of this lovely estate. Located nicely away from the home and with a separate entrance, the custom barn with four over-sized stalls and full court dressage arena anchor this portion of the property, with lush grassy fields rolling to the East giving plenty of pasture for grazing.
Dramatic views to the South encompass Mt. Tam, Mt. Diablo and Mt. Burdell and overlook San Pablo Bay and the Petaluma River. At night you can even see the twinkly lights of Sonoma Horse Park! To the North and West, the ambiance is more rural with old time cattle barns dotting the landscape and cows grazing up to the fence.
The Home
Welcome home to this stylish and cozy executive residence, over 4500 sq. ft. on a single level with rich wood floors and large, open airy rooms! Walk through the expansive great room, with living and dining areas that open to both a study and a music alcove and you will appreciate the great flow of this floorplan. Sit by the fire or step out onto the back deck and you can look out over the vineyard and gardens with an artful arrangement of fruit and nut trees set off by a collection of roses and lavender and studded with palms, exotic succulents and grasses which soften the space.
The chef’s kitchen has room for lots of cooks and sports two separate islands with coordinating granite and marble counters, along with the full complement of stainless steel appliances, including 5 burner gas range, Dacor warming drawer and Fisher-Paykel double drawer dishwashers. Rich cherry wood custom cabinetry throughout includes a fitted bar area, built in wine rack and plenty of shelving for your cookbook collection. There is also a walk in pantry, butcher block prep station and a bay window overlooking the cows grazing cross the way. The kitchen opens to a light filled family room with doors leading to decks on both sides. The focal point is the warm slate framed fireplace.
The bedrooms are located in a separate wing and sport two over-sized guest rooms, each of which is open to its own private deck- seating area and is en suite with its own bath. With these separate access points, we think this would be a great vacation rental or bed and breakfast type layout. The enormous master suite feels like a world unto itself, with gracious seating areas, walls of windows which encompass the vineyard views, exceptionally comfortable bath room with separate his & her grooming areas, huge shower and sunken tub. His and her closets complete the picture and make this a space that’s easy to share.
Truly, this an entertainer’s paradise. The large deck overlooking the 16 x 44 ft pool is perfect for parties. It hosts a banquet table for 14, bench bar seating, a BBQ area and has sun cover for shade. This property was conceived with California’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle in mind and you will appreciate the thoughtfulness of the design as you enjoy the surroundings with your guests and friends.
The Vineyard and Olive Grove
Approximately 21 acres of the property is planted to premium vineyards, known as the Griffin’s Lair Vineyard. The Petaluma Gap area is a sub-appellation of the prestigious Sonoma Coast wine appellation and has near-perfect climate to support slow ripening fruit and ideal soils for the demanding Pinot Noir grape. 16 acres +/- of the vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir, an extremely popular varietal right now. An additional 5 acres +/- is largely planted to Syrah with a few rows of viognier grapes for blending. The vineyard was planted in 2000 and is a strong producer, averaging about 55 tons of grapes per year.
The property has good water and benefits from three separate wells and a 10 acre foot +/- irrigation pond which also serves as an aquatic habitat for migrating birds and water fowl. Water rights such as these are increasingly difficult to obtain and provide a valuable resource for the agriculture here.
The vineyard is Certified Sustainable and much of the farming practice here is organic except for the use of some herbicide to complement natural methods of weed control. The owners have forged partnerships with winemakers, biologists, plant nutritionists and have a highly-qualified team of people who collaborate to optimize the results from this terrific quality vineyard. The next owners have the option of bringing in vineyard managers or contracting out the management and sale of the grape crop if they prefer less hands-on involvement.
The grapes from this vineyard are currently sold to several winemakers who produce ‘vineyard-designate’ wines which regularly achieve high scores from wine critics (accolades include 97 points from Robert Parker and ‘Years Best Wine’ by Wine and Spirits Magazine). Wine buyers include Loxton Cellars, Wind Gap Wines, Pax Wine Cellars, Bedrock Wine Company and Spottswoode Winery.
Whilst most of the grape harvest is sold each year, generating significant income, the owners retain some grapes and make a handmade rosé in their own ‘garagiste winery’ which is adjacent to a large, temperature controlled wine cellar.
Olive trees line the drive and are now in full production, producing enough Tuscan olives for annual pressing to produce the estate’s own premium olive oil.
The Equestrian Facility
This is the perfect equestrian estate, ideal for riders who want to have their horses at home, but still be near some of the highest caliber trainers in all of California. We are located across the street from the Sonoma Horse Park, the premier competition venue for this area and a magnet for hunter jumper riders and trainers as well as home to Giant Steps Therapeutic Riding Center for disabled children and adults.
The equestrian area of the property enjoys a separate drive and access and features a beautiful, custom built barn with four oversized stalls, a wide aisle with feed and tack rooms as well as a grooming area with wash rack. This barn could easily be re-fitted to provide 10 or more stalls, as much of it is currently used as storage for the vineyard equipment.
Outside, there a large pasture with two paddocks with shelter which provide 4-5 acres of grassy grazing areas and an outdoor, full-court dressage arena for exercise. There are riding trails throughout the vineyards and the property is very near Tolay Regional Park which has a good trail network as well. There are 26 parks in Sonoma County where you can ride horses and we are second in the state, in terms of the numbers of horses per capita so this is a very horse-friendly area!
Zoning and Uses for the Property
The 33 acre estate is zoned for diverse agriculture, which allows, in addition to its core residential use, a multitude of plant and animal activities, including commercial production of many agricultural products. This is a very generous zoning classification which offers many options for the next owner. Diverse Agriculture is also an ideal zoning class for many equestrian businesses, including the training and boarding of horses, with a permit. We believe that an additional living unit to house staff would also be allowed. The property is in a scenic resource corridor so the landscape around here is protected from glaring development for all time.
- 21 acres +/- of top quality Pinot Noir & Syrah in full production, giving you great income
- Beautiful equestrian set up with barn, paddocks & arena near Sonoma Horse Park and Tolay Regional Park
- Fabulous single story home, over 4400 square feet with gourmet kitchen, indulgent master suite and tremendous views throughout
- Superb location, less than an hour from the Golden Gate, and convenient to Petaluma, Sonoma and Napa