Retire in Napa Valley as a Vineyard Owner
Napa valley is any vineyard owner’s dream. It has the right soil and climate to grow the best grapes and make the best wines. In recent years, it has also come to be known for its food and night life, and as a place to settle down for those who have made their millions.
A one-bedroom cottage with a small yard may put you back by half a million dollars. If you also want a vineyard you may end up with a bill of $15 to 20 million, especially if the vineyard is located close to St Helena But it is money well spent. It will reward you with a rich and peaceful life during your sunset years.
That’s the beauty of Napa valley. It quickly makes you one of its own. If you are a lucky one, and your vineyard comes with an old world cottage then you can really put your feet up, and enjoy.
Most Napa valley cottages have a Huge Great Room, which is a casual living room with a fireplace, kitchen cabinets made of wood, wine cave, Bocce Court, which is the Italian version of lawn bowling, lap pool, probably even a heated outdoor pool, Pool Cabana, Outdoor Fireplace and Heaters. If your cottage does not have these Napa Valley specials then you must get a local to help you out.
But the best is making your own wine. If you have not done this before you will need to hire a consultant, a winemaker and a vineyard manager. These are not difficult to get in Napa Valley though each of these consultants command handsome prices.
You can sell the grapes or set up your own winery. The second option is always more prestigious. However, to get a winery permit you need to own 10 acres. You can also make wine at a custom crusher. Such crushers can produce 24 cases of wine for $3,000 or so.
You also need to socialize. For this, you need to visit popular eating places, and be noticed. You need to join the local clubs. As for transport, the preferred choice of vineyard owners is SUV, with BMW X5, Lexus LX 470 and Mercedes ML 500 being the favorites. You can also go for sedans like BMW 745 or 750 or the Mercedes E 500, S 430 and S 500 series.
Life can be a dream after that. The weather in Napa Valley is salubrious. You can see the colors in the vineyard change as the months slip by. The aromas as the grapes mature and get ready to be picked are heavenly. You can spend hours sitting on the terrace on a moonlit night enjoying wine made under your supervision or you can entertain neighbors and friends outdoors on cool, windy nights.
You can also drive down to St. Helena, which is Napa Valley’s most hip town, and have a leisurely meal and a dance at its famed eateries. If you have more time you can take the long, winding road to the neighboring Sonoma County where the Russian River Wine Road is a great attraction. Today it has 140 wineries and 50 lodgings, and scores of hot spots.
You will not know how the time flies once you settle down in Napa Valley.
