This beautifully appointed home offers the best of both worlds. Enjoy the spectacular setting of Tertulia as well as the fabulous dining, wine tasting, galleries, and shops of charming, historic, upscale Healdsburg - the “crown jewel” of Sonoma County’s Wine Country, only 5 miles to the north. This very special home located in the “Tuscany” of Northern California is your key to the Sonoma Wine Country, with the Silverado Wine Trail to Sonoma and then Napa just over the hills to the east.
Imagine awakening to the cool tranquility of an agrarian setting among the vines. Enjoy your morning coffee or tea from a rocking chair under the clean white arbor overlooking two majestic black walnut trees with vineyards and hills beyond as hot air balloons drift silently by overhead. Contemplate your day’s agenda – perhaps planning meals to make the best use of fresh offerings from Tertulia’s planters or a local farmer’s market, or maybe plotting your path to a winery or two before your coveted dinner reservation at a Healdsburg restaurant.
When afternoon arrives, like clockwork, notice the afternoon breezes that clear the warm air before sunset. As evening falls slowly, gather on the patio to watch the sun fade along with the din of conversation. And to end your day, unwind in the spa as you gaze at the stars above – so bright in the dark night sky removed from the city lights. This is Tertulia at Amber Ridge.
Arrive at Tertulia through the secure iron gate to the rock-walled entrance and paved driveway lined with Crape Myrtles, lavender and roses. The driveway turns past the house to rejoin the paved private road for easy exits. Abundant parking and outdoor amenities include a large, seating-wall enclosed, patio with plenty of outdoor furniture for your entertainment enjoyment, a generous new outdoor BBQ for your grilling pleasure, a gazebo-covered, brand new, top-of-the-line Sundance 6-person hydrotherapy spa, and a Kettler outdoor ping pong table for the more competitive guests. And just across the driveway is a workout room with Precor treadmill, mats and light weights.
Make your way to the formal covered front entrance across the patio shaded by a giant redwood tree, and let the tour begin! From the front entry hall, find a welcoming view through the library to a beautiful antique rug, round table and oversized handcrafted Mexican vase, and further on through the sliding glass doors to a generous wrap-around veranda overlooking a grass lawn edged by flower beds, trees and vineyards. Turn just to your left and move down the window-lined hallway to find the true heart of Tertulia – a generous kitchen worthy of the most discriminating chef.
From the 6-burner plus griddle, double oven, stainless steel professional Wolf range with commercial vent hood, to the gigantic butcher block center island, to the two oversized stainless steel sinks with disposals, Traulsen commercial refrigerator freezer, Bosch dish washer, and beautiful soapstone countertops and backsplashes, it is hard not to conjure sights and smells of the fabulous feasts that are possible here! There are also two comfortable leather bar stools perched at the end of the island to provide a vantage point for backseat chefs, and a built-in banquette style soapstone table and wooden benches where hosts or chefs can plan menus or take their respite.
Of course, the kitchen also has all the other cooking essentials including a coffee maker, 4-slice oversized KitchenAid toaster, a new Henckels knife set, AllClad cookware, and a full set of culinary accessories to satisfy the chef within. If that is not enough, just off the hallway is the pass-through butler’s pantry to the formal dining room. With underlit cabinets, the butler’s pantry has yet another large sink with disposal, another oversized fridge over freezer, commercial KitchenAid mixer, Panasonic bread maker, Breville professional blender, Cuisinart food processor, Nespresso espresso maker and milk frother, Cuisinart ice cream maker, Panasonic microwave, as well as a pasta and sauce maker. Between the kitchen and butler’s pantry, you will also find an abundance of plateware, glassware, flatware, serving utensils, platters, bowls, and wine glasses.
The kitchen transitions to an informal dining room with a large farmhouse table seating up to 12, a floor-to-ceiling antique oak hutch, and double sliding French doors opening to the arbor-covered side entry that looks out onto the two beautiful old black walnut trees proving a shady spot from the heat of midday and a lovely interplay of light and shadow as the sun moves across the sky. Beyond the walnut trees, discover the planter boxes filled with organically grown seasonal herbs and vegetables for your use to enhance your culinary experiences at Tertulia.
From the informal dining area, it is a couple of steps up into the living area with two large sofas – one of which opens to a queen sleeper, a lovely wool area rug, twin coffee tables, two leather cube stools, and a large entertainment center anchored by a wall-mounted Samsung 55” LED 3-D TV with a Sony Blu-ray player, Yamaha surround sound receiver, Xbox 360, whole house WiFi, and a DISH HD receiver. Wharfedale speaker towers stand on each side of the entertainment center providing a great audio experience in the living area, and the home has a whole house sound system with ceiling-mounted speakers in the kitchen, living room, formal dining room, and Master Suite.
Beyond the formal living room is the formal dining room with recessed lighting, a large window, and a beautiful dining table and chairs seating 8, with a unique limestone fossil side table, cloisonné sconces and artwork. Past the dining room is the large antique rug that welcomed you as you entered the formal front entry. At the end of the room sits a quiet sitting area perfect for contemplation or an intimate conversation, or to browse the internet from your laptop on the whole home wifi.
To your right, look in on the library to find coffered ceilings, a cozy gas log fireplace with comfortable oversize chairs, a large ottoman and throws, book cases filled with bound treasures to satisfy a range of tastes, and a Baldwin upright piano for the musically inclined. Continue past the library through the door to the right and find a generous private first-floor bedroom with its own shaded glass exterior door to the side veranda. This bedroom has a queen bed, end tables and lamps, an overstuffed leather chair with ottoman, a large armoire, and a Tivoli audio system.
Returning to the library, continue through to the entry again and down the hallway to the staircase. First discover the full bath at the foot of the stairs, with a large tiled walk-in shower, and lovely pedestal sink. Then follow the banistered stairs to the second floor. First pass the quiet pocket-doored laundry room with a new large Maytag washer and dryer set, iron and ironing board, and the large linen closet just across the hall.
On the left is the large Master Suite with a beautiful ebony wood 4-poster king bed, antique wood and marble topped nightstands, beautiful lamps, an iHome clock radio docking station, a comfortable leather chair with ottoman, a large 8-drawer dresser, a wall-mounted Samsung 46” LED HD TV with DISH HD receiver, a small pocket-doored, walk-in closet, and a set of glass sliding doors leading to the Master’s balcony. The connected Master bath features a lovely clawfoot soaking tub with a large draped window overlooking the majestic black walnut trees. Lovely double pedestal sinks and an extra large walk-in shower with rainforest showerhead and a shower wand complete this beautiful ensuite bath.
Across from the Master Suite are the third and fourth bedrooms, both with queen beds, wall-mounted Samsung 32” HD TVs with DISH HD receivers, nightstands, lamps, chairs, one with a secretary desk, and one with a side table, and both with iHome clock radio docking stations. Completing the upstairs is a shared, third full bath with a large pedestal sink and a large tiled walk-in shower.
Considering the splendor of it all and the spectacular and abundant amenities and features of this magnificent property, you may never want to leave, and when you do, you will likely want to come back soon. While Tertulia at Amber Ridge is the perfect place to relax and soak in the surroundings or entertain friends, it also provides easy access to the many adventures to be enjoyed in Healdsburg and the surrounding areas.
A 5-mile drive to charming and historic Healdsburg surrounded by the three famed wine growing regions, Dry Creek, Alexander, and Russian River Valleys. This wonderful and eclectic community recently celebrated its 150th anniversary and has grown from a tranquil agrarian center to a top travel destination featuring fine dining, art, a
