Three Things to Do in Wine Country in October
Author:Annette HanamiA designer showcase in Saint Helena, a modern prefab home tour near Glen Ellen and a sleek new tasting room in Yountville, all happening this month in Wine Country.
Napa Valley Showhouse 2012. Photo credit John Merkl
Tour the Napa Valley Showhouse for inspired wine country looks this Fall
Experience Wine Country living through the eyes of ten exciting designers at the Napa Valley Showhouse taking place October 10 – November 17 at Charles Krug Winery in Saint Helena. The event, sponsored by Traditional Home, includes a self-guided tour of the transformed spaces inside Peter Mondavi Jr.’s former residence as well as a Charles Krug reserve wine tasting at the renovated Charles Krug 1872 Redwood Cellar. Open everyday except Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., $40 pp. 2800 Main Street, Saint Helena.
Get an advance peek of the Showhouse at the opening gala on October 9 between 6 – 9 p.m. with a tour of the residence and winery renovation with wine and food by Chef Ken Frank, plus a preview of the Napa Valley Film Festival which begins November 13. $75 per person.
The Sonoma home during installation. Photo courtesy Connect Homes
Imagine the possibilities with a fabulous prefab home tour in Sonoma
Explore Connect Homes latest modern and affordable modular home this weekend October 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Set in the mountainside above Sonoma Valley, the 2-bedroom, 2-bath, 1,600 square foot home features custom finishes and appliances, and modified layout directed by the owner for her mother. The home will staged by Napa Valley art and design destination Ma(i)sonry of Yountville.
The interiors of a similar home. Photo courtesy Connect Homes
This is the first of five modular homes installations by Connect Homes in Northern California, the others being located in Menlo Park, Orinda and Mendocino County. According to partners Gordon Stott and Jared Levy, the demand here is driven in part by the region’s legacy for modern design at affordable prices set by architects such as Joseph Eichler. The owner of the featured property estimated that a comparable custom-built home here would have cost three times more and taken three times longer to build.
Advance reservations are required at info@connect-homes.com or call 310-622-9271, ext. 101. Transport to the site will leave every hour from a central location. For more information check the event site.
Hestan Vineyards tasting room. Photo credit Essalat Architects
Go inside Hestan Vineyards’ sleek new tasting room in Yountville
When Hestan Vineyards owners Stanley and Helen Cheng decided to build a new tasting room in Yountville, they enlisted architect Farro Essalat to create a bold new look. The result is a sleek, modern building with stepped-back cubic and barrel forms that echo the mountains and wines of Napa Valley.
Inside Hestan Vineyards new tasting room. Photo credit Essalat Architects
Inside, Cheng said, they sought a more understated look to keep the focus on the wines but the attention to detail and variety of natural materials such as copper, travertine, granite and glass add richness to the space. I especially love the tiered ceiling that creates a waterfall of light leading gently to the wines.
Hand-hammered copperware gleams
As owners of the country’s largest cookware company, Meyer Corporation, the Cheng’s new tasting room fits right in the culinary capital of Yountville. Foodies might be inspired to buy some of the exclusive cookware featured in the tasting room, such as gleaming hand-hammered copper cookware from Ruffoni that blends seamlessly in the décor.
Make sure to taste the signature Hestan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon made by top winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown but try their single varietal Syrah and Merlot too. Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 6548 Washington Street, Yountville.
