Rancho la Zaca

RANCHO LA ZACA & OAK SAVANNA VINEYARD

The remarkable Rancho La Zaca and Oak Savanna Vineyard embodies an almost elusive and mythic old California lifestyle.  40 minutes from Santa Barbara, 2 hours from Los Angeles, and 4 hours from the San Francisco Bay Area, one is enveloped in a landscape of vineyards, horse ranches, farms and schoolhouses. You travel back in time where simple pleasures, open spaces, mossy oaks, grassy fields, seas of blue lupine, bright orange poppies and warm sunny days are found. It seems impossible that such a place still exists in 21st Century California. The Santa Ynez Valley has become the best kept secret of the celebrity crowd.  Silicon Valley and the Bay Area have also found this magical Valley a best kept secret alternative to Napa.  The geography is more wide open, has a coastal influence and offers a buyer much better land value than the Napa Area.  All who are fortunate enough to live in Santa Ynez seem to closely guard its quiet serenity. 

Local schools are ranked as some of the top in the State and the medical care system is part of the larger Cottage Hospital Network; one of the finest in the country. 

The area is also known for a variety of equine disciplines and combined with Veterinary care that is ranked as one of the top in the country, the valley is one of the last bastions for those wanting to pursue their love of the equine world.  Hiking, cycling, golf, restaurants, what else could one possibly want!

THE PROPERTY

Rancho La Zaca is one of the foremost luxury properties in the heart of Santa Ynez Valley. The 400+/- acre estate, which was once part of a Spanish Land Grant, is a hidden retreat off the Foxen Canyon wine trail.  The extraordinary main residence is an architectural masterpiece which resides at the end of a long, private drive which winds through oak studded savannas. 

The one-of-a-kind 8,000± sf main residence was originally built for the actor James Garner and designed by the renown American architect, Hugh Newell Jacobson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s architect on Martha’s Vineyard. 

Utilizing only the highest quality craftsmanship and finest material available, the house uniquely balances the ultimate combination of modern architecture and warm inviting ambiance.  

The magnificent private entry leads through a glass hallway bordered by exterior gardens, and into the Great Room; an immense room with 25’ ceilings, textured wood tiled floors, and matching stone fireplaces flanking the room.  This room serves as both a living room and dining room but also has comfortable sitting areas to read, relax, or construct puzzles.  Sliding glass doors open to a covered patio with overhead heaters, providing a wonderful sitting / dining area which overlooks a dramatic infinity edge swimming pool, fire pit, changing room, and endless views of vineyards and incredible oak savanna.

The gourmet kitchen is fully equipped with the highest quality commercial equipment available.  It was designed to easily handle intimate meals or massive entertaining.  A cozy dinning nook resides just off the kitchen and separate butler’s pantry offers convenience as well as comfort. 

The East wing of the home houses the Primary suite which consists of two bathrooms, expansive dressing areas, and a siting room.

There are four additional upper level bedroom suites.  Two have separate exterior stairways to comfortably accommodate staff or guests and allow for privacy.  Each bedroom has a full bath, built in closet, and storage areas.

The entire house was designed to provide the utmost convenience in every room.  Built in closets, drawers, and additional amenities are found throughout.  A temperature-controlled wine cellar, exercise/recreation facility, plus extensive storage comprise the lower level. 

This retreat is a recreational paradise for all who visit.  The owner has constructed a world class sporting clay and separate shooting range which has hosted many weekend events.  There are 20 stations and 20 throwers with a wireless control plus a professional designed target backdrop for a rifle range. 

The stocked fishing and recreational pond, has a dock and is almost an acre large.

For the equestrian, a regulation sized arena was built along with other accoutrements tailored to Western riding and has been the scene of many fun events.  There are 6 stalls for riding horses and miles of hiking and riding trails wind throughout the beautiful hills, oaks and vineyard.

A large utility barn, a 4-bedroom Ranch Manager’s house and a 3-bedroom Vineyard Manager’s house complete the ranch package. 

This magnificent estate is a warm, welcoming place of refuge for everyone who visits.

THE OAK SAVANNA VINEYARD

The original 25+/- acre vineyard was planted in the 1970’s and is one of the oldest in Santa Barbara County.  It was changed in later years from all Chardonnay vines to grape varietals which reflect more current wine trends.  Today there is Chardonnay but also Syrah, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Gamay, Pinot Grigio, Nebbiolo, Savagnin, and Cabernet Franc.

In Kansas, mid-west farmers, due to lack of trees, would use limestone for fence posts and having discovered this unusual material use, the owners imported over 1000 Kansas Limestone end posts which were put into the ground at each row of vines. The Oak Savanna Vineyard has produced the fruit for stellar wines over the decades! 

FOXEN CANYON

Foxen Canyon is an integral part of the renown Santa Barbara County’s wine trail with over two dozen vineyards and wineries.  This area has developed a stellar reputation for growing some of the regions premier vines and producing some of our area’s finest wines.   The road winds through vineyards, alternating between gorgeous mesas with broad vistas and oak studded hills.  In the distance are pine topped mountains, showing the diversity of elevations in this area and natural landscape.  The land turns green through the late fall and into spring and then the hills turn golden with spring bringing out a colorful natural display of poppies and lupine.  The leaf of the vines turn green and this, punctuated with the green oaks against the golden grasses in late spring through early fall, make for a classic California landscape.  This is truly a special place.

THE EARLY STORY

Rancho La Zaca was part of the La Zaca land grant awarded by Spain in 1838 and was reputedly distinguished as the first such land grant in the heart of what became Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley and probably one of the smallest at about 4400 acres.

Around the turn of the century, the land was bisected, using the ‘camino’ or then the stage road as the new property line.  The camino later became known as Foxen Canyon Road.  This western section remained mostly intact until the 1970’s!  At that time it was divided into four smaller parcels.  One of these became the approximately 400 acres which was eventually purchased by the late actor James Garner and his wife, who commissioned a renown East Coast architect, Hugh Newell Jacobson to design a home with visionary architecture.

At a Glance

The Property:

·        400+/- acres, part of 1838 royal Spanish land grant

·        25 +/- acre vineyard planted in the 1970s

·        Extraordinary 360-degree vistas reminiscent of untouched old California

·        Stocked fishing and recreational pond

·        World class shooting range

·        Hugh Newell Jacobsen-designed main residence

·        Ranch Manager’s and Vineyard Manager’s houses

·        Olive grove, rose garden, and several water features to enhance feng shui

Main Residence:

·        Designed by the acclaimed American architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen, the approximately 8,000-square-foot house was completed in 1998.

·        5 bedrooms each with sweeping views, ensuite baths and built-in storage.

·        Master wing with large separate living room and separate bathrooms, closets, and dressing rooms. One bathroom contains a sauna and private deck that opens to a rose garden.

·        Guest bedrooms are upstairs and offer sweeping views.

·        Large central great room with soaring cathedral ceiling and 2 large stone fireplaces. Tall sliding doors lead to a surrounding terrace, including a covered and heated patio dining area with see-forever views of oak savanna, vineyards, and mountains.

·        Large, commercial kitchen and copious storage accommodates parties of 100 or Sunday supper.

o   60-inch Wolf range with 6-burner stove and double ovens

o   2 Miele commercial grade dishwashers

o   2 double door Sub Zero Refrigerators / freezers

o   Sub Zero wine cooler (plus wine cellar storage)

·        Butler’s pantry and cozy breakfast nook

·        2 powder rooms on either side of entry hall

·        Temperature controlled wine cellar

·        Gym

·        Solar heated swimming pool and pool house

·        Garage parking for 4 cars and ample parking in motor court

·        Central vacuum

·        Generous storage throughout

Ranch Manager’s House

·        4 bedrooms / 2 baths – charming contemporary design from re-purposed old barn

Vineyard Manager’s House

·        3 bedrooms / 2 baths - modular house

Shooting Range:

·        World-class sporting clays course comprises 20 stations and throwers with wireless remote control

·        Professionally designed separate shooting range

Stables and Arena:

·        Regulation rodeo-sized arena and accoutrements tailored to Western riding pursuits and easily adapted to English

·        Spectator stands

·        6-stall barn with toilet facilities

·        Fenced pastures and paddocks

Vineyard:

·        6 acres +/- Chardonnay

·        3 acres +/- Sangiovese

·        1 acre +/- Tempranillo

·        3 acres+/- Gamay

·        2 acres +/- Pinot Grigio

·        1 acre +/- Nebbiolo

·        1 acre +/- Savagnin

·        1 acre +/- Cabernet Franc

·        7 acres +/- Syrah

·        Potential to increase vineyard size and planting

·        (Vineyard and grapes under contract through the 2027 growing season)

Water:

·        Abundant water supplied through 3 wells and 30,000 +/- gallon cistern water storage

·        Fire protection supplied through 10,000 +/- gallons of storage tanks and 3 fire hydrants

·        Pond is 1 acre +/- and is both irrigation reservoir and emergency source for fire prevention or frost protection for vineyard. (Other days it is for fishing and fun.)

Utilities and Internet:

·        Electricity supplied by PG&E. 800 amps into main house.

·        Main house and Ranch Manager’s house on one meter.

·        Vineyard Manager’s house and mechanical shop on separate meters.

·        Both AG wells are one meter. Separate AG meter for pumping water from pond to vineyard.

·        Domestic well meter shared with adjacent property and parties divide costs. 

·        Propane, diesel, and gasoline tanks on property

·        Generator: 200 amps

·        Phone: 100-megabit wireless connection hosting internet and 3 phone lines, with a backup wireless internet service provider

·        One domestic well, 600 +/- feet, 10-inch casing- backup generator dedicated to domestic water in the case of long-term power outages

·        One AG well, 600 +/- feet, with a 12-inch PVC casing

·        One AG well 1,100 +/- feet, with 12-inch steel casing