The 18.9ha hillside property is located in the Calistoga AVA, with sweeping views of Mount St. Helena and the Palisades.
This historic property includes 2.5ha of prime Cabernet Sauvignon vines, which yield more than 20 tons per year.
Decorated winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown makes the estate’s wines. The grapes yield around 1,200 cases annually for the estate’s loyal wine club.
The property also features a natural spring-fed lake, heritage oak trees, fruit orchards and extensive recreational facilities.
There are six buildings, spanning 8,950 sq. ft. of living space, with a total of six bedrooms, six bathrooms and two powder rooms.
Renowned architect Howard Backen, who is famed for his sophisticated rustic style, designed the main two-storey residence at the heart of the estate.
It features an open-concept living room, a commercial-grade kitchen, a wet bar, a butler’s pantry and a 5,000-bottle temperature-controlled wine cellar with a tasting nook.
The second building at the estate, whose address is 225 Franz Valley School Road, is known as The Headmaster’s House. It’s a colonial-style two-bedroom, two-bathroom cottage with a wraparound porch, two fireplaces and an attic.
There is also a poolside cottage and a lakeside Victorian studio residence. Both buildings feature one bedroom and one bathroom.
Meanwhile, the Bell Tower Administration Building is a custom-designed event space, which could be turned into a gym, studio or wine tasting room.
The grounds include a 40,000-gallon pool, a basketball court, a tennis court and a bocce ball court, along with several areas designated for outdoor entertaining. There are two private wells, with ample reserve tank storage.
The listing agent, Sotheby’s International Realty’s St Helena Brokerage, described 225 Franz Valley School Road as ‘more than a property; it is a legacy awaiting its next chapter. A rare confluence of luxury, lifestyle, and viticultural excellence in the heart of Napa Valley.’
Current Napa County regulations mean that a property with this many living structures and features could not be reproduced today, making it a ‘truly unique and valuable holding’.
The estate, which is just minutes from downtown Calistoga, features four separate vineyards, which were planted between 1998 and 2002. Hardin-Clark manages the vineyards.
Each plot is bottled as a vineyard-specific, designated wine. There is a premium ‘Estate’ designation and an entry-level ‘Indulgence’ brand.
The inventory extends to the first vintage in 2002. The wines are primarily sold via the Heritage School Wine Club, which has seen its membership increase by 24% since 2021.
