Nestled in Hidden Hills is the beautiful Hidden Hills Manor and Vineyard. Home to Wish Vineyards, this estate has recently gone on the market and is available for all winery-hopefuls to finally make their dreams come true.
Perched atop a privately gated 1.5-acre knoll, an impressive motor court welcomes you to this distinctive 8 bedroom, 10 bathroom estate compound.
A grand 2-story foyer & main hall open to an array of dramatic public living areas warmed by numerous fireplaces and adorned with custom millwork & gleaming wood floors. The professional chef's kitchen boasts top-of-the-line appliances, a center island & a sunlit breakfast room. The adjacent great room adorned with rich wood paneling, custom fireplace, beamed ceiling detail & impressive entertainers bar is the heart of this home. Two en-suite guest bedrooms and a handsome library complete the main living floor. The upper level features an elegant primary suite plus 3 additional secondary en-suite bedrooms.
But the crown jewel of the property is, of course, the vineyard that comes with the land. Today, Haute Residence sat down with the current owner and seller of Wish Vineyards and the property to learn more about what goes into owning a vineyard and the lifestyle associated with it.
Photo Credit: Luxury Level
HR: What would you say is the lifestyle associated with owning a vineyard?
Owner: Well, you soon learn the lifestyle is two-fold. First, there’s the idyllic setting, the joy of producing a great vintage, and the fun of sharing it with your friends and family, and then secondly you realize that you are becoming a farmer of sorts. You get in touch with the seasons and nature and the grapes and you develop a feel for your land. The end product is a result of your attention to the flora and fauna surrounding your home.
HR: If you sell the estate is the business side included such as the branding of the Wish vineyard, social media, trademark, etc.?
Owner: Yes, and it's up for discussion because first of all there are two things: the technical side of it is that Wish has the licenses and licenses have to be approved and there's paperwork that goes with that side of it. But more importantly, I think is the idea that the branding is personal to us, each person that owns a vineyard picks their own brand. If they fall in love with the Wish logo and trademark and social media that's great and I'd be happy to sell that along with it, but I would think that whoever buys the vineyard would want to establish their own brand. It’s more of a buyer’s choice.
HR: How much and what kinds of wine are produced per year.
Owner: The vineyard has a capacity for about 300 cases a year. Sometimes we reduce something or depending on quality we’ll make a different call. We have Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and we primarily do a Meritage blend. And each year we determine what type of wine will be made depending on what the grapes tell us.
Photo Credit: Luxury Level
HR: Who does the vineyard harvesting and maintenance?
Owner: We have a contracted vineyard crew that maintains the vineyard and harvests the grapes.
HR: So the buyer could continue with the contract?
Owner: Yes, they’ve been there several years they know the run of the vineyard it’s not like whoever buys it is going to have to go out there and start trimming vines.
HR: Does it has an AVA (American Viticultural Area) compliant designation
Owner: yes we are actually members of the Malibu AVA and the Meritage society which allows us to use the Meritage marker on our bottle. And Meritage is a trademark that denotes a Bordeaux blend because we have Bordeaux grapes.
HR: Are there any tax benefits?
Owner: Well yes, Wish Vineyards is an LLC so the expenses are deductible through the LLC you have to make sales to be able to offset expenses
Photo Credit: Luxury Level
HR: Why do you think someone would want to own a vineyard
Owner: Other than the glamour *laughs*, well in addition to the lifestyle answer above, the wine community is an all-encompassing group of people. We've met winemakers on 6 different continents that share similar and some divergent stories to our own. A vineyard becomes a part of your family, like another child you watch it develop from year to year. As the vineyard has matured, we have also grown as grape growers and winemakers; our wines have taken on characteristics of our own makings and preferences.
HR: What advice would you give for someone who will own it in the future?
Owner: To embrace the vineyard and have it become a part of who you are. You connect yourself to the vineyard, you feel what it needs, it helps drive decisions you make about your life, your travel, your growth, and knowledge. You expand your circles in ways related to wine, educating yourself about wine lifestyles around the world. I would advise new owners to jump in wholeheartedly and look at the vineyard as an old friend who will be there for the long run.
For more information on the listing, click here.
For more information on Wish Vineyards, please visit their website here.
