The Geyserville home of the late pioneering winemaker Chris Bilbro is currently on the market. The 4,100-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom dwelling, on 40 Alexander Valley AVA acres, is listed for $3,995,000.
After founding Marietta Cellars in 1978, Bilbro ushered in tastes for bold red California wine through his signature blend, “Old Vine Red,” made of grapes from old vineyards that other winemakers dismissed as outdated, according to a story in Wine Spectator.
Fittingly, Bilbro’s property includes a 9-acre Cabernet vineyard, a 1990-replant of a century-old vineyard that belonged to Marietta Cellars. Though the vineyard is now part of the estate, it is currently managed by the winery.
The home, built in 2004, is made of thick, insulating Rastra walls, a concrete composite material, finished in stucco on the exterior and elegant plaster inside. Exposed beams and weighty window and door trims are made of repurposed wood from a Yorkville tobacco-drying barn.
The stairway is built from upcycled wine staves from Marietta wine barrels. Modern light fixtures gracefully cap off the rustic grand style. The great room’s 20-foot wall of windows seamlessly connects the indoors to the outside.
The backyard features a pool, olive and fruit trees, and raised garden beds. Lounging and dining areas plus an outdoor kitchen offer space to savor the setting, good food and the yields of those old red grapes.
For more information on this home at 22355 Chianti Road in Geyserville, contact listing agent Ann Amtower, Compass Real Estate, ann.amtower@compass.com, 707-328-9364, compass.com