Timeless Vineyard Estate in Glen Ellen, California

Sonoma Valley, California, wine country just over an hour north of San Francisco. Organic Zinfandel and Syrah vineyards surround a contemporary country compound that is so well situated it seems as indigenous as the gardens in which it's nestled. Life is lived outdoors here in all seasons. Where food comes from your land, wines from your vines, water from your wells, and power from your panels. It's not just the structures, everything is on the solar. The main residence is ivy-covered stucco with an expansive terrace where two oversized sets of French doors open to a great room with soaring ceilings, clear story windows, and an eastern wall that is nearly all window. Off the living room is a den currently used as a music room. Also off the great room is a true cook's kitchen with an adjoining pantry that leads outdoors with a gardener's sink and nearby herb beds. The master bedroom is bathed in gentle northern light, has its own secret garden, and tucked discreetly behind a stone wall, its own spa. Like many Italian villas, this wine country escape has its own tower, now used as an office. This has six vertical windows and an oversized picture window offering views to the east. There is Venetian plaster throughout, as well as custom railings, windows, and finishes too numerous to list. Cascading down a gentle hillside, this is a home with a discreet lower level, with a wine cellar, gym, and a plush media room. Guests may never go since their house overlooks the pool, with views all the way to the Mayakama Mountains, a small range that separates Sonoma and Napa Valleys. For celebrations, there are walkways, gardens, and diversions galore. For wining and dining, there is a stone tractor barn that has been transformed, now with its own kitchen, bath, and a table for twenty of your favorite friends. It seems to be just the right size. It has just the amount of stonework and outdoor areas. Everybody has their own places that they can go to, and it's self-sustaining, so it's not overwhelming. This is a wine country estate that can accommodate life's greatest events, or the most intimate escapes. Please, come see it for yourself. For more information, please contact Tina Schoen of Sotheby's International Realty. I'm Donald Handemark.