Our Place

The origin story... we think

The first deed listing that we can find for the property is dated 1951. At some point, the Red Dog Saloon was moved onto the property. We are told that the building is from an old movie set. This makes sense, as all entry points and windows are on the front of the building… nothing on the sides, which is practically a bit weird. We are also told that the saloon was used at some point to host a fundraiser for Ronald Reagan during his campaign for president in 1980. We have as evidence of this only a photocopy of a drawing that was signed by him and distributed, presumably, at that fundraiser. We haven’t been able to verify anything else about the building’s provenance. And apparently, there are a LOT of old Western style saloons called ‘The Red Dog’ scattered across the U.S. Google it and see!

 In 1984, the property was deeded to Faustino Silva. We believe he may have planted the original vines.

An accidental discovery

In 2014, brothers Steve and Phil Streng purchased the property. Using their combined talents (Steve as a real estate broker and Phil as a builder), they demolished the old residence and embarked on a journey to improve the vineyard, build a spectacular new home, and restore the Red Dog Saloon. They also added solar power, a bocce court, and a horseshoe pit! The work was completed in 2016 and the property was listed for sale in 2017. 

In 2018, Angela McGuire was spending weekends touring open houses with her son, Robert, who was then in the market for a starter home. One weekend in February, she suggested visiting a property that she’d seen listed in a local paper… just for fun. The views from the home were stunning, the kitchen was large and equipped well enough to accommodate “Iron Chef Dinner Parties,” and the Open House host was offering samples of wine, made on property. But she and her husband weren’t looking for a new home.

The present day update

So, Angela and Rob returned home, gushed about the property to Patrick (the patriarch), and went about their lives. In July 2018, Angela noticed the home was again open for visitors. This time she visited with Patrick. A few days later, much to Angela’s astonishment, Patrick suggested that they put a bid on the property! The fates and spirit guides all conspired to facilitate the sale and, “Voila,” the McGuire family became vineyard owners in September 2018.

The plan is to  open the Red Dog Saloon as the winery tasting room. We are nearly there, so... watch this site for updates!