Gentleman Farmer Wines Announces Acquisition of Historic Napa Building for Future Hospitality Guest House
The 2,641-square foot building will feature five guest rooms and will be next door to The Gentleman Farmer Bungalow: A Studio for Gustatory Well Being, opening in Fall 2023
NAPA, Calif. (April 20, 2023) – Gentleman Farmer Wines is pleased to announce the acquisition of a historic building in downtown Napa that will be renovated and opened as the Gentleman Farmer Guest House.
Gentleman Farmer Wines is a boutique Napa Valley winery specializing in elegantly crafted, old-world inspired wines that are meant to be accompanied with beautiful food, prepared entirely by proprietors Jeff Durham and Joey Wolosz. As husbands and partners behind the label, Durham and Wolosz are legendary throughout wine circles for offering one of the most unique culinary pairing experiences in Napa Valley.
Their newly acquired building, located at 1580 First Street was built in the late 1800s and is one of the oldest buildings in Napa. The building is being restored and will be used to host fans (and future fans!) of Gentleman Farmer Wines. The decision to expand was made after Durham and Wolosz noticed the frequency with which their wine club members were booking repeat trips to Napa Valley and also sending their friends expressly to experience their thoughtfully prepared lunches, high quality wines, and above-and-beyond hospitality. Realizing no one else was doing anything quite like it, the Gentleman Farmer Guest House was a natural next step.
“We are thrilled to acquire this historic building and soon offer Gentleman Farmer guests a Napa Valley hotel experience that is entirely authentic to us and to the region,” said Durham. “We are committed to preserving the history of Napa while offering a chance to experience our renowned hospitality in a manner that’s more akin to the European winery guest house model. This next step – in such a charmingly reserved property – represents a behind-the-scenes version of Napa Valley which we can’t wait to share with the world.”
The building will feature five guest rooms, a lounge area, and a kitchen. Designed with incredible attention to detail, each element in the guest house will be intentionally and thoughtfully curated, with many pieces that add character, and a healthy dose of dark, well-curated whimsy. The end result is sure to reflect Jeff and Joey’s distinctive approach to wine country living. Guests will have easy access to the many incredible restaurants in downtown Napa, as well as Gentleman Farmer’s forthcoming The Bungalow: A Studio for Gustatory Well Being, opening in the fall of 2023.
The Gentleman Farmer experience is fast evolving. Currently, Jeff and Joey offer intricate and 100% homemade lunch tastings – with from-scratch mustard, homemade brioche, rillettes, soufflés, pancetta, terrines and sausages – which serve as a means of introduction to their wines. This experience closely mirrors that which will be on offer when they open The Bungalow, not to mention the culinary offerings that will be on rotation at The Gentleman Farmer Guest House.
Both Jeff and Joey hold degrees in Hotel & Restaurant Management and share a wealth of experience working in food, wine, travel, and hotels. Joey became active in hotel real estate in 1998 with the purchase of the Halcyon Hotel near Union Square in San Francisco.
In 2008, Jeff and Joey founded The Redwood Riverwalk, a stylish boutique Humboldt County motel destination in the charming town of Fortuna. They imbued The Redwood with a vibrant personality that matched their aesthetic, with evocative artwork, unexpected design elements, and a fun, alternative vibe that continues to make it an ideal destination for those seeking a distinctly local Humboldt flavor. While Jeff and Joey sold the property in 2023, The Redwood Riverwalk lives on as an independent escape, an artists’ haven, and an inclusive community gathering place.
A Napa native, Jeff remains involved in his hometown community. He has sat on the board of state and local hospitality organizations – in addition to his hotel business ventures – he is an ardent advocate for civic involvement. After his six-year tenure as a city councilman for the Town of Yountville, Jeff now pens a weekly activist newsletter The Yountvillian, which covers community news, information, activities, food, wine, and culture.
Jeff and Joey share a shrewd eye for design and love repurposing unique artwork and family heirlooms into stunning conversation pieces, whether it’s in the Yountville home they share, on display in The Bungalow, or soon to be in the Gentleman Farmer Guest House.
Gentleman Farmer has been producing acclaimed wines since its 2005 founding. Joey and Jeff are thrilled to be at the vanguard of the next wave of wine country hospitality with their upcoming tasting salon and guest house.
About Gentleman Farmer Wines
Founded by Joe Wolosz and Jeff Durham, Gentleman Farmer specializes in elegantly crafted, old-world inspired wines from sustainability-farmed vineyard sites in Napa Valley. The first vintage was produced in 2005, and they offer a unique culinary experience alongside their wines. Partners in business and husbands in life, Joey and Jeff founded their boutique winery as a means of reconnecting with what is real, and what it means to be human in an increasingly digital age. Gentleman Farmer wines are therefore an ode to the tactile, the analog, the acoustic, and the artisanal. For more information visit gentlemanfarmerwines.com.