larc hill vineyard
This 5-acre sloping site is the new home of Larc Hill Vineyard. It joins the group of wineries that line the south shore of Lake Chelan. The existing home on the property was completely gutted and a new addition installed to provide luxury guest quarters for visitors to the vineyard.
A new 4,500 square foot barn was built to provide space for a small-scale, gravity-based wine production from a combined total of 16 acres of vineyards on 2 sites. Varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec and Chardonnay. New vines were laid out on a newly-recommended grid that yields high production and excellent flavor. The Barn also serves as an event venue and recently hosted the 10 th anniversary celebration of Chelan’s designation as an AVA (American Viticulture Area). A 5,400 square foot courtyard ties the two buildings together and provides an exceptional 180-degree panoramic view of the lake.
As a venue, Larc Hill provides all the amenities to stage 250-guest weddings. Paying homage to the agricultural history of Chelan, rustic materials were utilized throughout the project to make Larc Hill Vineyard blend seamlessly with its surroundings. Reverse-board-and-batten cedar siding, resembling weathered barn wood, was used to re-side the house, while the Barn was sided with board-and-batten siding and corrugated zinc wall panels to acknowledge the history of metal agricultural buildings in Chelan. Stained alder doors, Douglas Fir timber framing and standing seam metal roofs complete the look.
In the Barn, aviation-style folding garage doors open out to the courtyard, extending the interior space for larger functions, and capturing the view of the lake. Small balconies on the north side of the Barn and west side of the house provide views of gatherings and activities in the courtyard below. In less than a year since completion, Larc Hill Vineyard has become a prime destination in the Lake Chelan area.
Sustainable features at Larc Hill Vineyard include an air-source heat pump in the house, in-floor radiant heating in the Barn, LED lighting throughout, enhanced insulation and high-performance windows and finish materials with a high recycled content. Using a gravity-based system for wine processing yields lower energy costs (fewer pumps) and tastier wine.
Phases 1 (house remodel) and 2 (Barn construction) are completed. Phase 3 will feature the construction of six guest casitas at the top of the site.
