Once home to Charles Shaw winery — Trader Joe’s ‘Two Buck Chuck’ – gorgeous estate hits market
The original Charles Shaw winery — famous for the low-priced Two Buck Chuck wines first introduced at Trader Joe's in 2002 — once stood where beautiful, upscale Benessere Vineyards is located today.
Rich in Napa wine country history, the Benessere vineyard, winery and estate is for sale for $35 million.
"Encompassed by vineyards and the organic landscape of the Napa River, the agrarian setting is unrivaled, offering everything wine country often promises, but rarely delivers," the property listing offered by Sotheby's International Realty states. "The offering consists of a substantial vineyard component, winery and public tasting room operations and multiple residences which embody a classic Napa Valley style."
The 43-acre St. Helena property has a total of 6,300 square feet of living space with eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
"The desirable up-valley location is convenient and buffered from the well-traveled Highway 29 and Silverado Trail, at the end of a bucolic country lane," according to the property listing.
The original Charles Shaw winery no longer exists where Benessere Vineyards is today. Charles F. Shaw established his winery in Napa Valley in 1974. After the Charles Shaw winery went bankrupt in 1990, the property — but not the brand — was purchased by the Benish family , who later renamed it Benessere Vineyards.
In 1995, the Charles Shaw brand name was separately purchased by Fred Franzia of Bronco Wine Company for about $27,000 during bankruptcy proceedings. In 2002, Bronco Wine Company reintroduced the bargain-priced Charles Shaw brand with its famous "Two Buck Chuck" wines sold in Trader Joe's stores.
Forever tied to cheap, $1.99 bottles of vino, Charles Shaw's winery had initially produced high-quality, award-winning Gamay wines.
The small, family-owned Benessere Vineyards is located at 1010 Big Tree Road in St. Helena, California.
"We are a small, family-owned boutique winery specializing in Italian varietals made in the heart of Napa Valley, where the soil is ideal for growing these types of grapes," according to the Benessere Vineyards website.
In Italian, Benessere means "well-being" or "living the good life."
The property was bought in 1994 for $1.529 million, according to public property tax records.
John and Ellen Benish immediately began restoring the vineyards, winery and residence after purchasing the property. In 1995, they produced their first vintage of sangiovese. Since then, they've added other Italian varietals, such as pinot grigio, vermentino, falanghina, teroldego, nero d'Avola, primitivo, montepulciano, sagrantino and aglianico.
The property's listing agents are Jamie Spratling and Kevin McDonald of Sotheby's International Realty - St. Helena Brokerage
At this $4 million estate for sale near SLO, vineyard owners lean heavily into conservation
