Chateau Chevalier
Why it's listed
Chateau Chevalier is a stone wine cellar and carriage house/barn set on the steep terraced slopes of Spring Mountain above York Creek, about 2.5 miles from St. Helena. Fortune Chevalier, a French-born glass craftsman turned wine and liquor importer, began building the estate in 1891. The 2½-story cellar, stepped into the hillside for gravity-flow operation, was built of fieldstone and quarried stone with contrasting reddish stone trim and a conical-roofed central tower. Stonemasons Pithie & Birkett and carpenter M. G. Bale carried out the work. The nomination describes the style as a rare Chateau form in Napa County, reflecting Chevalier's French background. It also ties the property to the wine boom that followed phylloxera damage in French vineyards. Chevalier's original residence burned around 1927, but the cellar and barn remain, with olive and palm groves, stone walls and terraces. The cellar was adapted around 1950 and 1970, and the estate continues as a vineyard and winery.
Significance in brief: The property illustrates the wine boom of the 1880s and 1890s in Napa County, when French vineyard losses to phylloxera raised demand for California wines. It is also an example of the massive Chateau style, which is unusual in Napa County, and shows the skill of local stonemasons. The nomination notes it as one of two Chateau-style winery examples in the county.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 87000926, listed June 12, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3101 Spring Mountain Rd., St. Helena |
|---|---|
| County | Napa County |
| Listed | June 12, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000926 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891 |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; carpenter/builder M. G. Bale; stonemasons Pithie & Birkett (R.H. Pithie) |
| Architectural style | Chateau style |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Maintained as a vineyard and winery estate; the cellar has been adapted for use as a modern wine cellar and residence, and the barn is used for storage. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 38.51468, -122.51086 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 87000926.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85751670
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.