Hearst family buys $12 million wine country mansion for record price

William Randolph Hearst III, the heir to the media mogul Hearst family, has purchased a $9.5 million home in Calistoga, Napa County, Northern California, known for its wine. It is the most expensive transaction in the Calistoga area.

table of contents:

• Napa County Wine Country Home
• Features of the house
• About new owner Hurst
• Connection with the Hearst family
• The city of “Calistoga”
• Famous for wine: Napa County
• Napa Wine
• Recommended Wine
• HEARST RANCH
• DOUBLE DIAMOND
• EXPERIENCE
• HIGH DIVE

Napa County Wine Country Home

Features of the house

The house is a Spanish-style country home.

The five-bedroom home is packed with attention to detail, including Italian plaster walls, custom green-glazed roof tiles, Portuguese terracotta floors that have been polished to a leather-like finish, and exposed, antique-style reclaimed beams.

The house also has a pool and a study. The study's ceiling is a coffered ceiling (a ceiling with planks laid in a criss-cross pattern), which is often used in high-end Shoin-style buildings in Japan. The backs of the fireplace and bookshelves are inlaid with bluish leather material, enhancing the beauty of the space.

The agent who put the property on the market recommended the carved doors, which are made from mahogany, a high-quality solid wood from Africa. While the house has a sense of dignity, the intricate designs throughout the house and the warm atmosphere they create are also features of the home.

About new owner Hurst

The new owner of the house, William Randolph Hearst III, is a descendant of the well-known media mogul Hearst family and the grandson of the famous publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst.

William Randolph Hearst I, who built the prosperity of the Hearst family, was born in San Francisco, California in 1863. Hearst was put in charge of managing newspapers from an early age, and tried to increase the number of subscribers by reporting shocking content, such as exposing corruption and sometimes fabricating articles to stir up public sentiment. This style of newspaper articles, written in a sensational manner to control public opinion, became known as "yellow journalism." At the height of his power, he owned 28 major newspapers and 18 magazines, as well as several radio stations and movie companies. He made a huge fortune as the founder of the media conglomerate Hearst Corporation.

Connection with the Hearst family

It seems that the deciding factor for William Randolph Hearst I in purchasing this property was the "decorations," as numerous sophisticated ornaments enhance the home.

First, there is the huge fireplace in the main room. Two paintings hang on either side of the mantelpiece. One is a scene of the Italian village of Positano, a town that stretches along a coastline that is said to be one of the most beautiful in the world. The other is Hearst Castle. This palace-like structure was built by William Randolph Hearst I in the hills of San Simeon, California.

The real estate agent excitedly described this real estate transaction as "serendipity." "Serendipity" means "encountering wonderful luck or discovering something wonderful by chance." After many years, the country home decorated with beautiful paintings from Hearst Castle ended up being purchased by a descendant of the Hearst family. What else can you call this product of chance but "serendipity"?

The city of “Calistoga”

The town of Calistoga, where this wine country home is located, is located at the northern end of Napa County. It is a homey town with a good old "hometown" feel. Even today, it seems to hold events unique to old, small towns, such as the "Tractor Parade" (a procession of illuminated tractors through the streets). William Randolph Hearst III seems to have particularly liked the atmosphere of Calistoga.

Famous for wine: Napa County

Napa Wine

Napa County ("Napa Valley") is the leading wine-producing region in California. It has over 400 wineries and is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, which has won the Wine of the Year award twice and the Best Cabernet Sauvignon award twice. The region is blessed with a Mediterranean climate, with rain concentrated in the winter and hot and dry summers during the grape-growing season, as well as soil suitable for wine, and the wines there are highly regarded worldwide as high-quality premium wines.

Recommended Wine

This time, in addition to the wines from the winery owned by the Hearst family, we will also introduce some recommended wines from Napa Valley that are available at SoCalization.

HEARST RANCH

• Randolph
• This wine is produced at the Hearst family-owned winery east of Paso Robles. It is a versatile red wine that beautifully combines the aroma of fresh cherries with spicy vanilla from the oak.
• ¥4,980

DOUBLE DIAMOND

• Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley 2019
• A rich and powerful wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from some of Napa Valley's best growers.
• ¥14,980

EXPERIENCE

• Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
• This wine is made from excellent grapes sourced from five Napa Valley vineyards, mainly from his own vineyard along the Silverado Trail in Oak Nord, Napa Valley. It is rich, yet smooth on the palate, with fresh acidity, lively fruitiness, and soft tannins, typical of Napa Valley.
• ¥5,170

HIGH DIVE

• High Dive Napa Valley 2016

• The palate exhibits approachable aromas of ripe blackberries and red cherries, melded with a rich core of simmered blackcurrant and pomegranate, and a rich mouthfeel that develops into a pure fruit midpalate and lingering finish.

• ¥20,900