Great Estates

RACHEL RASKIN-ZRIHEN

When it comes to the property at 600 Alta Mesa Place in Napa, the word “rare” is the one most often repeated.

Known as the Hanwell Hill Estate, the private, gated property sits on several hundred acres – 239 to be precise — and features some six hiking trails, said listing agent Jill Levy of Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty.

“It’s really a spectacular property,” she said.

Offered at about $9.5 million, this estate offers views of San Francisco Bay and Mt. Tamalpais.

“It’s on over a couple hundred acres, and it’s like five minutes to town, but it feels like you’re a hundred miles from everything, and that’s extremely rare,” Levy said. “I think it’s a perfect synergy of old world European architecture and modern American décor/lifestyle and that’s also rare. It looks like something you’d see in Western Europe but the inside is modern American and that combination is rare and desirable.”

The house, built in 2009, features six bedrooms, seven full and two partial bathrooms sprawling over more than 8,600 square feet. It has an outdoor pool, four fireplaces and a fourcar garage. It features a gourmet kitchen, oversized closets, two family rooms, a wine cellar and movie theater

The property also comes with an extensive history, according to information obtained from the Napa County Historical Society by way of the seller, Levy said.

“The property was originally part of the Rancho Yajome (or Llajome), which was originally granted to Damaso Antonio Rodriguez in 1841,” according to the historical society and provided by the seller. “By 1846 Rodriguez had died and by 1853, Salvador Vallejo and taken over the land grant and built one of the three adobes on this land grant, where the Longwood Ranch is today.”

By 1869 (or as early as 1865, according to some sources), General John F. Miller began buying parcels of land in Napa on Rancho Yajome, the material says.

“The grand house is thought to have been constructed by 1870,” it says. According to the 1876 map of Napa County, the land is in the name of Mary C. Miller — Miller’s wife — and

she has more than 700 acres in her name in addition to the just over 175 acres in her husband’s name.

John Miller died in March of 1886, at age 55, and by 1895, all the land is in Mary Miller’s name, as it was left to her and their daughter Eudora Miller Clover, according to the historical documents.

“By 1915, all the land is owned by Eudora, who sold it to Mrs. Vesta Peak Maswell in 1932,” according to the material. “She owned the property until 1953, after which point, the land where the country club is today was bought by the Silverado Land Company.”

What happened to the Alta Mesa Place property after that is not immediately known, it says.

What is known is that the property now displays that “rare” fusion of the best modern conveniences with old world charm and style, Levy said.

“The master suite feels very resort-like; comfortable, with its own fireplace and lovely bath, and courtyard, with stunning views,” she said. “There’s a really cool iron gate when you enter, with a tunnel-like area and the courtyard has a fireplace before you enter the house, which is very rare. It also has its own movie theater and attached casita, which is also really cool.”