An award-winning winery and elegant main residence that make up the historic Moraga Vineyards Estate in Bel Air can now be yours, in case you have $29.5 million. Moraga, the first commercial winery to be bonded in the city of Los Angeles since Prohibition ended in 1933 has been now listed on sale. This stunning property with recognizable rows of vines you see across the 405 has a very rich history.
Hollywood director Victor Fleming, known for “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz,” built the home in the 1930s. In 1959, Northrup CEO Tom Jones and his wife Ruth bought the 13 acres of sun-drenched hillsides and shaded canyons, hidden away in the heart of Bel Air. When Jones learned that Moraga Canyon had deep gravel soil, he was intrigued enough to try growing some Bordeaux varietals on his land — Cabernet, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.
Moraga Vineyards Estate and Winery
The experiment was promising enough that ranch manager Roberto Quintana planted the site with some 2,200 vines per acre, 13,000 vines in all. The first wine was produced in 1989 under well-known winemaker Tony Soter (Etude Wine and Soter Vineyards). Scott Rich and later Mary Hall succeeded Soter. And a new winemaking facility was completed in time for the 2005 vintage.
And now, Jones is willing to sell his Moraga Vineyards and Winery to someone who will continue his grand tradition.
For $29.5 million new lucky buyer will get the 7,500 sq ft Mediterranean-styl main residence with three bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, guest house, staff quarters, a tasting room, a significant wine inventory stored in the on-site wine cave worth about $4 million, a 4,400-square-foot office building (“currently used as the winery sales office”), and maybe most important vineyards and a 2,300-square-foot winery that produces about 1,500 cases a year. [Michael Collins]
The Moraga Vineyards estate in Bel Air goes for sale including the Winery at $29.5 million
