Petite Domaine is open.
For the past several years, Laura and I have lived with this project every day. We sketched it at the kitchen table, walked the site at dawn and dusk, and argued over the angle of a single wall. On October 1, we welcomed our first guests through its doors. It is the most personal thing we have built since Domaine Chardonnay itself.
We called it Petite Domaine, the little estate. The name stopped being accurate somewhere around the foundation. It is now larger than the original. We kept the name anyway, because it describes how the place feels, not how it measures.
The Cloister
Everything at Petite Domaine is arranged around a cloister. In the old monasteries of France, the cloister was the quiet center of the building, a place to walk, think and take in the light. We wanted the same thing here. Each suite opens onto it. In the evening, it is where guests gather with a glass of wine as the sun drops behind the mountains.
Just off the courtyard is our new wine bar. More on that soon.
Three suites, three moods
Laura designed each suite with its own character. They share the same standard of comfort. They do not share a personality.
The Abbey is soft and serene. At 700 square feet, it is dressed in blush pink and layered textures, with the calm of a French country abbey. It is the suite for couples who want to slow everything down.
The Haven is our largest suite at 850 square feet, and our brightest. Washed in light and shades of blue, it sits above the vineyard with views in every direction. It was built for celebrations: anniversaries, honeymoons, the trips you plan a year ahead.
The Carriage House is dark, moody and intimate. Its 750 square feet take their cue from the carriage houses of old European estates, with deep tones, warm light and handsome finishes. It is the suite for a long dinner, a late bottle and nowhere to be in the morning.
Every suite includes a pillow top bed with goose down bedding, a private living area with a kitchenette, a spa-inspired bathroom and breakfast delivered to your door each morning.
Why we built it
When we first planted our roots on this hillside, we wanted to share what it is like to live on a working vineyard. Petite Domaine is the next chapter of that idea. Same 2,000 vines. Same mountains. Same quiet. Now with more room to share it.
I wrote more about the design behind Petite Domaine in The Artist & The Architect. If you would like to see it for yourself, we would be glad to have you.