theorem vineyards

The 12,000-Square-Foot Winery & Tasting Room:
A Multi-Year Masterpiece

This 9,000 SQ FT structure serves as a production facility & offers private tours. The design brings together the indoor & outdoor experience with perfection. Project also included the re-building of an existing 1800’s Red Horse Barn into an onsite Tasting Room.

Architect: Richard Beard Architects
Interior Design: Nicholas Vincent Design
Owners Representative: Pound Management, Inc.

While Finley Contracting is renowned for historic home restorations, our expertise extends far beyond residential framing. This expansive 12,000-square-foot commercial winery and tasting facility stands as a testament to our capacity for large-scale, multi-phase architectural construction.

Spanning a year-and-a-half build within a multi-year property engagement, this facility marries heavy-duty commercial engineering with custom interior craftsmanship.

Here is how we brought this multi-level wine production and hospitality facility to life:

Multi-Level Engineering & Subterranean Barrel Storage: The building is split-level by design. The entire lower half is constructed from heavy-duty concrete and built underground to serve as an optimal, temperature-controlled barrel room, accessed from the north side.
Production & Hospitality Spaces: The upper level houses the primary fermentation room packed with production tanks, alongside a beautifully finished tasting room area designed to welcome guests.
Insulated Metal Panel Construction: The primary structure utilizes a robust steel frame clad with insulated metal panels, allowing the exterior envelope to go up efficiently while maintaining superior climate control.
Custom Woodwork Details: While the shell is built for industrial commercial efficiency, we brought a warm, handcrafted touch to the interior by integrating custom woodwork throughout the tasting and hospitality areas.

“It was a… different type of build than we’re used to, but it was… which made it more interesting. The bottom layer is all concrete, and it’s underground for the barrel room… the structure itself was a steel building with insulated panels, and obviously we customized some of the inside with some woodwork.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

Architectural Integration: The Exterior View of the Winery and Fermentation Facility

Stepping back to view the exterior facade of the 12,000-square-foot winery reveals how industrial function meets thoughtful architectural design. Every zone of this multi-phase facility—from guest hospitality to wine production—is purposefully laid out for both efficiency and aesthetic appeal.

Here is a closer look at the key architectural features of the exterior layout:

The Alaskan Yellow Cedar Trellis: Flanking the tasting room on the left, a custom Alaskan yellow cedar trellis shades the windows, providing relief from the sun while adding natural warmth to the industrial structure.
The Fermentation Hub: To the right, large sliding doors serve as a primary entryway into the fermentation room. Inside, the space is engineered with tanks, catwalks, and processing stations designed specifically for receiving crushed grapes and managing the wine-making workflow.
The Architectural Cupola: Perched on the roofline above, a central cupola serves a dual purpose: it acts as a striking architectural feature while bathing the upper-level fermentation floor in natural daylight.

“To the left is a tasting room where you have an Alaskan yellow cedar trellis that kind of flanks the building to give it shade… To the right, with the big sliding doors, that’s one of the entrances into the fermentation room, where they have all the tanks and the catwalks… And the cupola is just an architectural feature that also lets some natural light into the fermentation room.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The East Facade & Historic Calistoga Schoolhouse Connection

Moving to the east side of the winery property, the architecture shifts to blend industrial functionality with classic agricultural character. This side of the facility bridges modern winemaking with the historic roots of the Napa Valley landscape.

Here is how we designed and detailed this section of the estate:

Steel-and-Glass Doors with Custom Barn Shutters: Behind the exterior accents sit large steel-and-glass doors that allow natural light to flood the interior workspace when closed. To give the structure an authentic, rustic feel, we incorporated three pairs of operational wood shutters that can be closed for a classic barn aesthetic.
The Outdoor Fire Pit & Fountain Retreat: Stepping through these doors leads directly into an outdoor landscaped sitting area complete with a fire pit and fountain, offering sweeping views overlooking the Napa Valley.
A Nod to Local History: Looking across from this side of the property reveals a white historic building affectionately known as “the study”—which is actually one of the original 19th-century schoolhouses for Calistoga, complete with its original bell still perched on top.

“When those doors are closed, it lets natural light in… and the wood shutters, obviously, you close those, which gives it more of a kind of a barn feel… You can exit and go into the landscape area where there is a fire pit and fountain area to look over the Napa Valley… Towards the white building over there, which we call the study, and that’s actually one of the original schoolhouses for Calistoga, so you can see the bell on top.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Workflow & Core Engineering: The Crush Pad, Sightlines, and Commercial-Grade Slab

Standing outside on the east side of the winery, the layout reveals how every functional piece of the winemaking process connects seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. From grape intake to private wine-tasting patios, the site is engineered for both heavy-duty production and effortless hospitality.

Here is how the architecture and heavy engineering come together on the production floor:

The Sightline Through the Building: A person door on the east side pairs with a massive central window that looks straight through the length of the fermentation room—creating a direct line of sight all the way through the building that frames stunning views down the Napa Valley.
The Private Tasting Patio & Pathways: Landscaped pathways guide visitors around the exterior. The path to the right leads directly to a private outdoor sitting area complete with a fountain, offering an intimate space to taste wine while overlooking the valley.
The Crush Pad & Production Flow: The exterior sliding doors open directly to the crush pad on the opposite side. This is where harvested grapes are brought in, processed through presses, and piped straight into the fermentation room tanks.
Built Like a Parking Garage (Heavy Structural Engineering): The elevated concrete floor of the fermentation room is a masterclass in heavy-duty commercial construction. Spanning over the underground barrel room below, the massive steel-and-concrete pan deck is fully forklift-rated and engineered to safely support the immense weight of eight massive fermentation tanks.

“That’s the crush pad on the other side, so that’s where they crush all the grapes… The elevated slab is a pan deck, so there’s a massive steel structure that spans the barrel room below, because it’s forklift rated, and it’s also rated for… I think there’s 8 fermentation tanks that sit on that, so it’s built like a parking garage. There’s a lot of weight, so it was a big steel structure.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Tasting Room Restrooms: High-End Design Meets Employee Convenience

Tucked just behind the tasting room area, the facility’s restroom spaces prove that even utility-focused zones in a commercial build can feature top-tier craftsmanship and upscale design.

Here is what went into designing these functional and surprisingly luxurious spaces:

Dual Restroom Layout: The back of the tasting room houses two distinct bathrooms, including a fully compliant ADA restroom for guests and a dedicated employee restroom.
The High-End Employee Shower: The employee restroom is outfitted with a custom, high-end shower installation—built to a standard so polished it rivals residential luxury.
Blending Utility with Style: Designed to serve the working winery team while maintaining the upscale aesthetic of the hospitality wing, these spaces reflect the same attention to detail found throughout the rest of the 12,000-square-foot facility.

“That’s the backside of the tasting room. So, there’s two bathrooms… There’s a regular ADA bathroom, and then there’s the employee restroom that includes a shower… It’s more for looks, but that’s what it was for.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Historic Core: The Original 1880s Homestead

Before the massive 12,000-square-foot winery and its surrounding landscape were ever built, this historic gem stood as the anchor of the entire property. Originally constructed around 1880, this historic house represents the deep roots of the estate.

While Kenny and the team at Finley Contracting didn’t build the original structure, they later stepped in to handle specialized remodel and maintenance work to keep it pristine alongside the newer commercial developments.

Here is what makes this historic homestead stand out:

Authentic 1880s Architecture: Featuring gorgeous, intricate woodwork across the top of the columns and classic period details, the home showcases the unmatched craftsmanship of late 19th-century builders.
Property Heritage: As the original residence on the site, it anchors the multi-phase estate, bridging the property’s agricultural past with the modern commercial winery operations just steps away.
Ongoing Stewardship: Finley Contracting’s involvement with the historic structure includes careful, targeted remodeling work designed to honor its original character while maintaining the highest standards of structural and aesthetic care.

“That’s the house that was originally built in 1880 sometime… That was before my time, so I did a bunch of remodel work to it after they were done, but yeah, that’s the original house to the property.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Fermentation Room & Event Space: Where Production Meets Exclusive Hospitality

Stepping inside the main fermentation room reveals how this commercial facility successfully pulls double duty. While engineered as a heavy-duty winemaking production floor, the space transforms effortlessly into an exclusive hospitality venue for high-end food and wine-pairing events.

Here is how this versatile space blends industrial utility with world-class guest experiences:

From Production Floor to Private Event Space: Beyond housing the stainless steel tanks and catwalks, the open layout is designed to host intimate tasting events and culinary pairings right in the heart of the winery.
Framing the Napa Valley Views: The massive central window acts as a living picture frame, offering guests seated inside an unobstructed, breathtaking view looking straight down the valley.
Seamless Architectural Flow: Positioned directly between the tasting room on the left and the exterior crush pad workflows, this central hub ties the entire 12,000-square-foot facility together.

“That’s obviously the fermentation room, which not only is a working space, but they double it as a private tasting event where they do food pairings and wine tasting… The big window looks right down the valley. The views up there are pretty amazing.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

Inside the Fermentation Hall: 16 Tanks, Clean Utilities, and Commercial Precision

Looking across the expansive upper floor of the fermentation hall reveals the sheer scale of the winemaking operation. Housing a total of 16 massive stainless steel tanks—split evenly into two banks of eight at the front and back—this room serves as the heavy-duty engine room of the commercial winery.

Here is how we engineered and finished this high-capacity production space:

Aluminum Catwalks & Hose Stations: Integrated access systems, including stairs and aluminum catwalks, wrap securely around the tanks to give winemakers safe, efficient access during production, testing, and cleaning.
Precision Utility Routing: Because this floor doubles as an exclusive hospitality and private tasting space, the utility lines and plumbing couldn’t be slapped together haphazardly. Every conduit and pipe was routed with meticulous care to keep the aesthetic clean and guest-ready.
Integrated Trench Drainage: A large central trench drain runs down the length of the room, with the entire concrete pan deck expertly sloped to it so wash-down water and fluids efficiently drain and exit the building.
Massive Structural Load Capacity: Supported by the heavy-duty steel and concrete pan deck below, the floor easily withstands the immense combined weight of 16 fully loaded wine tanks alongside active forklift traffic.

“There’s 16 tanks, because there’s 8 in the front and 8 in the back… We installed all the fermentation tanks, the aluminum catwalks, and hose stations… The routing of the utilities was well thought out because they wanted to double it as a private tasting area, so we had to keep everything tight and clean.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Napa Valley Patio & Fire Pit Retreat: An Outdoor Tasting Oasis

Stepping outside from the winery’s east-side barn doors brings you to the ultimate finishing touch of the property: a sprawling outdoor patio and landscape design created specifically to showcase the breathtaking Sonoma County and Napa Valley views.

Here is how this outdoor hospitality space brings the entire estate together:

Multiple Outdoor Living Zones: The expansive hardscape features several distinct gathering spaces, including cozy seating areas positioned perfectly to take in the surrounding vineyard vistas.
Warmth & Atmosphere: Complete with multiple custom fire pits and calming water features (including a dedicated fountain sitting area), the patio offers guests an inviting, tranquil environment to relax with a glass of wine.
Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Flow: Directly tied to the east-facing barn doors and crush pad pathways, the patio transforms the commercial winery into an immersive, luxury hospitality destination.

“That’s the outdoor patio area… There’s multiple areas out there to sit, so there’s a couple fire pits… and another sitting area that overlooks the valley that’s kind of on the side of the hill that’s also got its own fire pit and water feature.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Original Tasting Room: Wood Harvested and Aged Right on the Property

Stepping into the original tasting room reveals one of the most unique, story-driven craftsmanship details of the entire winery estate. Every single piece of wood cladding the walls carries a direct connection to the land itself.

Here is how we turned on-site lumber into a stunning, story-rich hospitality space:

Harvested From the Land: The timber used for the wall cladding was originally harvested directly from the property years before construction began.
Five to Six Years of Natural Aging: Before it ever touched a saw or a wall, the lumber sat quietly inside an old barn on the property for five to six years, allowing it to naturally cure, dry, and acclimate to the local environment.
Custom Milling & Design: Once fully cured, we had the wood custom-milled into precise profiles to clad the tasting room walls. The natural variation in the wood creates a striking, rich contrast of dark and light tones that gives the room incredible depth, warmth, and authentic local history.

“All the wood that’s on the walls was basically harvested from the property, and it had been sitting in an old barn, basically acclimating and drying… for about 5 or 6 years. We had it all milled up into specific profiles to clad the walls, so it’s got a story to it.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Long Barn: From Historic Chicken Coop to Open-Air Event Pavilion

As the very first structure built during this multi-phase estate project, the Long Barn sets the tone for the property’s unique blend of agricultural heritage and high-end hospitality.

Replacing a dilapidated historic chicken coop, this expansive 150-foot-long structure required careful adherence to historical preservation guidelines while transforming into a functional multi-purpose venue.

Here is how we brought this landmark structure to life:

Historic Preservation & Compliance: Because the original chicken coop was considered historic, the rebuild had to meet strict historical criteria to maintain the authentic footprint and visual character of the original property.
The Dual-Building & Trellis Layout: The expansive 150-foot structure is thoughtfully divided into two separate buildings flanking either end, connected right down the middle by an open-air arbor trellis.
Multi-Use Functionality:

The End Buildings: One structure houses dedicated storage, while the other provides high-end employee restrooms.
The Central Pavilion: The open-air center section serves as an idyllic venue space for estate events, gatherings, or simply taking in the peaceful morning views over a cup of coffee.

“That was the first one we did… What was there before was an old chicken coop, so it was a historic structure as well, so we had to meet certain criteria to keep the look kind of the same. The two buildings on the other side—one’s storage, the other has employee bathrooms—and the center part they use for events.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The North-Side Subterranean Access: Excavating the Barrel Room

Looking at the north-side exterior approach reveals the massive subterranean scale of the lower-level barrel room. Tucked directly beneath the upper fermentation hall and its central viewing window, this entryway represents one of the most heavy-duty engineering feats of the entire build.

Here is how we carved this subterranean level into the hillside while keeping the aesthetic seamless and natural:

The Heavy-Duty Roll-Up Access: A discrete, wide roll-up door provides seamless vehicle and equipment access straight into the barrel room for loading, stocking, and event setup.
Digging “A Heck of a Hole”: Creating the lower level required massive earthmoving operations—excavating deep into the slope, pouring 12-foot-tall concrete walls, applying commercial waterproofing and spray-foam insulation, and executing precise backfilling.
Carved Into the Landscape: Despite the immense volume of excavation and concrete work, the final grade blends effortlessly into the hillside, making the industrial lower level look as if it was naturally carved into the property.

“That’s a roll-up door for easy access right below the big window from up above… You can see how tall and how much of an excavation we did in order to create the lower level. It was a heck of a hole that we dug… quite a bit of excavation, quite a bit of concrete.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

Illumination and Arrival:
The Night View of the Fermentation Hall

As evening falls across the estate, the winery takes on a completely different character. Captured in this night shot of the main fermentation room entrance, the architectural lighting highlights the thoughtful design and spatial flow that make this building as functional by night as it is by day.

Here is how the facility lights up for evening events and guest arrivals:

The Illuminated Straight Shot: Looking through the entryway at night highlights the clear, unbroken sightline straight through the fermentation hall to the massive rear window—casting a warm, inviting glow that frames the valley beyond.
Designed for Special Events: With an expansive parking area out front capable of accommodating buses and large groups, the property is fully optimized to host evening galas, private tastings, and catered celebrations.
A Multi-Phase Evolution: Captured during an earlier chapter of the multi-year master plan (before the separate standalone tasting room was added 3 or 4 years later off to the left), this view showcases the raw, core beauty of the main production building in its evening element.

“That’s basically just a night shot of the entrance into the fermentation room. You can see the shot straight through to the big window… They have plenty of parking out front where they bus people in for special events.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The New Tasting Room: Rebuilding History with Shou Sugi Ban Wood and 1920s San Francisco Bank Doors

Rising from the footprint of a late-1800s barn that tragically collapsed during a severe storm, this stunning new tasting room represents the ultimate fusion of emergency recovery, local site-sourcing, and high-end antique salvage.

Rather than letting the storm destroy a piece of the property’s history, the owner and Kenny’s team at Finley Contracting rebuilt the structure to match what was there before, outfitting the interior with breathtaking custom craftsmanship.

Here is how we brought this incredible tasting room space to life:

The Massive Granite Fireplace: Anchoring the sitting area is a grand wood-burning fireplace featuring a custom stone surround made from three massive, extremely heavy solid slabs of granite block.
Charred Douglas Fir (Shou Sugi Ban): Continuing the property’s tradition of site-sourced storytelling, the wall paneling was harvested right from the land, sent out to receive a traditional Japanese charring technique (Shou Sugi Ban), and brought back to create a dramatic, textured dark wood finish.
Reclaimed French White Oak Flooring: The floors feature authentic reclaimed French white oak, intentionally chosen for its raw character, natural knots, and rustic holes to preserve that genuine old-barn feel.
1920s Solid Brass Bank Doors: Adding an unbelievable touch of salvaged history, the interior features two extraordinarily heavy solid brass sliding doors sourced by the designer from an old 1920s San Francisco bank. Kenny engineered a custom upper and lower track system—routed directly into the wood flooring—to make these massive antique doors fully functional.

“The old barn was there when I first arrived, and actually, a big storm came and the whole thing collapsed… The owner wanted to build it back, so we matched what was there… The wood was harvested from the property and charred using a Japanese technique… And the designer bought two solid brass sliding doors from a 1920s bank in San Francisco. They’re extremely heavy, so I had to come up with a custom track system to make them work.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Rebuilt Tasting Room Exterior: Honoring Tradition with the Classic Dutch Door

Stepping outside the newly rebuilt tasting room, the exterior aesthetic remains entirely faithful to the late-1800s footprint of the original barn that stood in its place. Every detail—from the overall scale to the specific exterior color—was carefully replicated to honor the property’s rich history.

Here is how the exterior of the tasting room ties the entire estate together:

Authentic Color Matching: Because preserving the historic character of the property was paramount, the exterior paint color was meticulously matched to the original building.
The Classic Dutch Door Entry: Visitors enter through a charming, traditional Dutch door that sets an inviting, rustic tone right from the threshold.
The Valley-View Deck: A walkway wraps around the left-hand side of the structure, leading directly out to a spacious outdoor deck that frames panoramic, sweeping views looking down the Napa Valley.

“The structure itself is pretty much the same size as it was. The color was really important to the owner, she wanted to keep it the same… The Dutch door is obviously where you enter, and around the left-hand side, a walkway goes to a big deck where you basically overlook that same view down the valley.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

The Tasting Room Interior: Custom Flush-Fit Seating, Chalkboard Walls, and Surviving Sonoma County’s Historic Fires

Stepping inside the newly rebuilt tasting room reveals a space where whimsical design, custom international craftsmanship, and rugged resilience meet. As Kenny’s absolute favorite building on the entire multi-year estate, this interior brings together playful architectural details and world-class luxury.

Here is how we brought this extraordinary tasting room interior to life:

The Flush-Fit Custom Tasting Bar: Sourced by the designer all the way from England, this specialized bar features chairs that slide in so tightly they sit completely flush—transforming the seating area into a seamless, solid standing bar when stowed, complete with automatic lighting that pops on when pulled out.
Reclaimed French White Oak & Exposed Trusses: The room maintains warm continuity with the rest of the estate using the same rustic French white oak flooring, complemented by an exposed wooden truss ceiling system.
The Chalkboard Hallway: In a playful touch designed by the team, the hallway leading to the two restrooms features custom sheet metal walls coated in chalkboard paint, inviting guests, visitors, and friends to leave their mark and doodle.
An 8-Year Partnership Forged Through Adversity: Spanning a solid 7 to 8 years of continuous, seamless building on the property (from 2014 to 2022), Kenny and the team worked hand-in-hand with the owners and design team through extraordinary trials—including surviving the devastating Sonoma County fires (the 2017 Tubbs Fire, the 2019 fire, and the 2020 Glass Fire) that swept all around the property like it wore a protective halo, alongside navigating COVID-19 shutdowns.

“I think this building is my favorite on the site… We went through a lot on that site, too, because we had the 2017 Tubbs fire, the 2019 fire, the 2020 glass fire… It was almost like this site had a halo on it. Things burned all around it, but nothing happened to this site… Great experience, great job, awesome clients, it’s pretty tough to beat.” — Kenny, Finley Contracting

Finley Contracting Project Portfolio:
Masterpieces in Historic Restoration & Commercial Engineering

From the meticulous 150-year-old Queen Anne residential restoration in downtown Healdsburg to the massive 12,000-square-foot commercial winery, subterranean barrel room, 150-foot Long Barn, and storm-rebuilt tasting room in Napa/Calistoga, Finley Contracting bridges old-world craftsmanship with modern engineering.

The Residential Crown Jewel: A 7,000-square-foot estate featuring an 1877 historic street-side facade, custom millwork, salvaged 2,000-year-old redwood wine cellar walls, and a sprawling modern rear addition.
The Commercial Winery & Estate: A multi-phase, multi-year commercial masterwork featuring 16 fermentation tanks on a parking-garage-grade pan deck, a subterranean board-form concrete barrel room, site-sourced Shou Sugi Ban wood cladding, and 1920s San Francisco bank doors.
The Owner-Led Advantage: No handoffs, no layers of project managers—just direct, hands-on leadership and lifelong craftsmanship from Kenny and the Finley Contracting team.

Custom Construction for the Discerning Client

We understand that building your custom dream home, addition or business is often a lifelong dream. Your hard work and dreams deserve quality craftsmanship and stellar client service to turn that vision into a reality.