Joe Montana’s Napa Valley retreat is back on the market, with a substantial price cut. The legendary quarterback first listed the Calistoga estate in the late 2000s, asking nearly fifty million. The current listing finds it at $28.9 million.
A labor of love for Montana and co, the house was constructed over half a decade in the late 1990’s and finished in 2003. Inspired by travels in the Mediterranean, the main house reflects French and Italian influences, and cites religious architecture from the area—it contains an altar from a 17th-century church. It uses an abundance of other reclaimed materials from France as well—fireplaces, ironwork, mantels, marble floors, and the gates that mark the entrance to the property among them.
The interiors work with a huge amount of detail—with 9,700 square feet to fill, the designers packed in quite a few surprises. Stucco, limestone, groin vaults, carved stone are all featured on a tour of the heavily stylized residence. There are only three bedrooms in the house, so common living space is the essential feature. Amenities include a 3,500-bottle cellar.
The property exterior is as stylized, and in many ways comes off as more spectacular and authentic. The Napa landscape makes an ideal canvas to engineer a lengthy series of Provençal gardens, while a pool with fountain jets, a secluded spa, and walkways support a most convincingly romantic conceit…complete with olive trees and grape vines. An extravagant guest house, stables, an indoor equestrian arena help fill out the 503 acres of grounds.
The property joins an auxiliary property in the area also owned by Mr. Montana: an 87-acre horse ranch that is being offered for $3.1 million.
