stonewood VINEYARD estate
18000-18002 GEHRICKE ROAD, SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
This remarkable vineyard estate is steeped in decades of Sonoma history. This gorgeous 187-acre property radiates true romance and provincial charm and is just minutes from the Sonoma Plaza. With a magnificent stone house, rustic cabin with pond, barn with guest units, stable with bunk house, and vineyard in the renowned Moon Mountain Appellation, this is the first time in over 45 years that this incredible property is available for purchase.
FEATURES
187 Acre Estate
56 Acre Vineyard
Stone House with Pool
Cabin on 3/4 Acre Pond with Dock
Barn with Guest Units
Stable with Private Office
Offered at $13,900,000
The Architectural Gem of Sonoma valley
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Stonewood Vineyard Estate
Stone House
With commanding views of the rolling hillsides, vineyards, and the San Francisco Bay, the Stone House sits atop the property as an architectural gem of Sonoma Valley. More than 30 years in the making and built from hand-chiseled stone and rock found in its own vineyard, the elegant home is exquisite inside and out. You’ll find everything from fanciful owls carved into the stone to multiple sets of huge arched beautiful French doors.
4 BED | 4.5 BATH | 5275 SQFT
Cabin
Perfectly situated next to the property’s pond, you’ll find a country cabin constructed from reclaimed wood from the San Francisco docks with a broad front porch that cantilevers over the water. The cozy home is designed for indoor/outdoor living with windows and doors opening onto the porch and boat dock with a large vegetable garden and fruit orchard nearby
2 BED | 2 BATH
Barn
Constructed of wood salvaged from San Francisco’s Pier 41, the rustic barn features parking for four cars, a wine cellar, tool room, plus an office or storage space below. Upstairs, a cabin-style guest retreat includes a living room, bedroom, and full bath. At the opposite end, find a second one-bedroom suite with a kitchen and full bath. Downstairs, there is a separate office and full bathroom.
BUNKHOUSE | UPSTAIRS OFFICE
Vineyard
Nestled in the rolling hills above town, this historic 56 acre vineyard features beautifully terraced slopes of vintage grape vines and well drained soil that produce intensely flavored fruit resulting in award winning wines prized by collectors the world over. Named for the thickets of hardwoods that dotted the land, Los Chamizal was first planted in 1976-78 by Peter Haywood representing the best of Sonoma Valley’s Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.
A STEP BACK IN TIME
THE HISTORY OF PETER HAYWOOD AND LOS CHAMIZAL
Sonoma was just a blip on the map when Peter Haywood purchased the property at 18000 Gehricke Road in the 1970s. Naming the newly planted vineyard Los Chamizal for the thickets of hardwoods that dotted the land, the 30-acre property was steeped in Sonoma history.
Originally owned by the Gerhicke family, large landowners in the acreage north of downtown, the property later became known as the Milani Ranch when it was sold to two well-known local families: the Bruscheras and the Paganis. The 300 acres were left unfenced with little to no water development save for one well that serviced two family homes and a swimming pool. The rest of the land was left as nature intended. The approximate boundaries of the sprawling ranch stretched from both east and west of Gerhicke Road, extending nearly all the way to Norrbom and Deer Valley roads in a large sweeping arc.
During the 1960s, the families sold a portion of the property to a developer who planned to build several hundred condominiums. Called “Chardonnay,” the development’s plans included damming Nathanson Creek and inundating the hillside with condos. When brought to the City of Sonoma for approval, the town’s authority figures refused the sewer hook-ups thus derailing the developer’s plan. The property was subsequently foreclosed on by the families and not put back on the market until 1973 when Peter Haywood purchased 284 acres, leaving 18 acres for the families’ four lots.
Haywood proceeded to drill a another well and found a fantastic source of artesian water that flowed at a rate of over 100 gallons a minute. This gave him the capacity spend the next 15 years developing 90 acres of the property into vineyards. The 90 acres amounted to just one-third of the property, the rest left in a natural state. The gorgeous rolling landscape embodied the romance evocative of winemaking with rock walls, undulating vineyards, vintage oak trees and other native flora and fauna. On a clear day, commanding views from the property include the hillsides, vineyards, downtown Sonoma and even, the far-off skyscrapers of the San Francisco Bay.
The vineyard’s southwest-facing location allows for ample exposure to the afternoon sun as well as the crosswinds from the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay. Soil structure runs the gamut but is mainly rocky of volcanic origin. Producing top-quality grapes from its very beginning, this swath of land and vineyard helped to pioneer the humble beginnings of the American Viticultural Area designation. Initiated in Sonoma in the 1990s and patterned after successful programs in Europe, the voluntary appellation designation speaks to the quality of a vineyard with adherence to strict farming practices, vineyard inspections, and overall quality control. Today, the Moon Mountain District American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a sub-appellation of the Sonoma Valley AVA. Aptly titled, the Moon Mountain AVA is defined by its higher elevation above Sonoma Valley, also known for centuries as the Valley of the Moon, and is a perfect climate for growing Old Vine Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
Not without its challenges, vintners in the valley waged war against Phylloxera in the 1980s and 90s, the aphid-like bugs destroy a vineyard’s root system. Over the next 20 years, Haywood and his crew would replant the original 90 acres with resistant root stock.
Today, as it was some 50 years ago, the vineyards of Los Chamizal represent some of the best of Sonoma Valley. The beautifully terraced slopes of well-drained soil still produce limited quantities of intensely flavored fruit, resulting in award-winning wines prized by collectors the world over.
valley of the moon
18000 GEHRICKE ROAD, SONOMA, CA
Mark Stornetta
707.815.8749 | mark@markstornetta.com
markstornetta.com | DRE 01440416
Contact me to learn more about this once in a lifetime family estate opportunity!
