Inside Napa’s ‘most expensive’ vineyard estate

A newly developed wine estate in Napa’s AVA Rutherford has been put on the market for US$42 million – 10% more than when it was listed in 2015 – which if achieved would make it the most expensive property ever sold in the region.

The White Hall Estate in St Helena

According to Forbes, a Sonoma home sold for $35 million in 2010, which remains the highest price achieved for a non-winery property in the region, while The Sloan Estate, a commercial vineyard with a chateau-style home on the grounds, sold to an investor group in 2011 for $40 million.

However the asking price of White Hall Estate, if achieved, would beat them both to become the most expensive property ever sold in Napa. The palatial property is positioned within a 20-acre estate south of St Helena, surrounded by 14 acres of AVA Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and is brand new, with the development only recently completed after five years of planning, design and build.

The estate was first put on the market last year with an asking price of $38m, but was taken off the market by its owner. Now, it has been re-listed at $42m with the price hike thought to be due to the recent acquisition of a winery licence, and the increasing maturity of the vineyard, which will reach its first harvest in October.

Its vineyard was planted three years ago and will be harvested to produce a private label Cabernet Sauvignon, with the property now approved for the production of 10,000 gallons wine per year.

The house itself contains four bedrooms and seven bathrooms, an infinity edge swimming pool, outdoor pavilion, walk-in closet and of course a wine “cellar”, with bottles designed to be showcased suspended within a glass enclosure. An adjacent ‘spa house’ – with its own pool, sports court and a putting green (that can double as a helipad) – contains a further three bedrooms as well as a yoga/meditation room. The property is being marketed by Sotheby’s.

So, what does a $42m property look like? Click through for a look inside one of Napa’s most expensive ever residential wine estates…