The 1,800-hectare (4,500 acres) estate in has the potential to house Virginia’s largest vineyard, should the new owners wish to begin a major planting project, said the listing by Daniel Heider and Justin DiFranco of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.
There are just 8ha (20 acres) of vines at present, but a further 61ha (150 acres) have been ‘prepared for vineyard expansion’, says the listing.
Vines at the estate. Photo credit: Cesar Olivares for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.
There is also a working craft brewery, 26 family rental properties, several event spaces, a recently constructed 12,000-square-foot mansion, 20 lakes, a go-kart track and ‘miles of private river frontage’.
If sold at close to the asking price, the Wall Street Journal reported that the property would become Virginia’s most expensive home.
Photo credit: Cesar Olivares for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.
Neighbours include the Monticello estate of Thomas Jefferson fame, lying around 25 minutes away by car near, plus several well-known vineyard estates, including Dave Matthews’ Blenheim Vineyards.
Known as Mt. Ida Reserve, the property is also around three times larger than the nearby Trump Winery & Estate, according to the listing.
It says that part of the estate was once owned by Bernard Arnault, CEO of the LVMH luxury goods empire that today includes Krug Champagne and Château d’Yquem.
Photo credit: Cesar Olivares for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.
Sotheby’s said the current owner of the estate has invested nearly $100m over almost two decades to transform the property.
According to the listing, ‘The income producing estate is perfect for a family compound, corporate retreat, flagship corporate campus or long-term investment.
‘Alternatively, the property is a prime candidate for a conservation and/ or stream impact easement offering significant tax benefits.’
Virginia has cultivated vineyards since 1619, but recent decades have seen rapid development on the state’s wine scene, as Decanter contributor Jill Barth noted in this introductory guide to the region.
Top grape varieties include Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
