Inside the late Kansas City Chiefs owner and his wife's $15 million Napa Valley mansion that comes with 40 acres of vineyards

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Inside the late Kansas City Chiefs owner and his wife's $15 million Napa Valley mansion that comes with 40 acres of vineyards
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Compass/Fred Kaufman/AP/Business Insider

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  • A 6,615 square-foot home with 40 acres of vineyards in Northern California's Napa Valley is for sale for $15 million.
  • The home is owned by Norma and Lamar Hunt, the late owner of the Kansas City Chiefs NFL team.
  • In addition to the grapevines, the listing comes with five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a wine cellar, and a four-car garage.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A five-bedroom home and acres of grapevines in California's Napa Valley is for sale for $15 million.

The property may belong to Norma Hunt and her late husband Lamar Hunt, the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs who died in 2006 (the family still owns the team and son Clark is the Chiefs' chairman), but it sits not far from 49ers country - the San Francisco NFL team calls Santa Clara, a city in the heart of Silicon Valley about two-and-a-half hours to the south, its home.

kansas city chiefs norma hunt

David Eulitt/Getty Images

Norma Hunt kisses the AFC Championship trophy named after her late husband on January 19, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri.

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It was during a trip to the Bay for a Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders game years ago that the Hunts discovered Knights Valley, where the home is located in Napa. Compass listing agent Christine Krenos told Business Insider that Norma Hunt later sought out property in the region with soil fit for grape growing specifically to delve into wine production, and also to construct a gorgeous home.

Vines after vines of mostly cabernet grapes come with the property. But that doesn't mean Hunt is selling her brand - she'll continue to make wine, just with other grapes.

The home is surrounded at all sides by the region's rolling hills and valleys.

"Every time I go up there, it's like magic," Krenos said.

Take a look around the beautiful, sprawling Northern California estate.

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The property is at the northern end of Napa Valley in an area known as Knights Valley. The home sits on 40 acres.

The property is at the northern end of Napa Valley in an area known as Knights Valley. The home sits on 40 acres.

This part of the Northern Californian wine country is fairly remote, Krenos said.

This part of the Northern Californian wine country is fairly remote, Krenos said.
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But the flip side of that is that it's peaceful, quiet, and not far from the bustling San Francisco.

But the flip side of that is that it's peaceful, quiet, and not far from the bustling San Francisco.

It's about 12 minutes outside of the town of Calistoga.

It's about 12 minutes outside of the town of Calistoga.
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The Hunts bought the property in 2000.

The Hunts bought the property in 2000.

Lamar Hunt died just six years later at the age of 74.

Lamar Hunt died just six years later at the age of 74.
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The home was built at some point in the next decade or so (public records don't indicate the exact year it was bought). So this is the first time the home has landed on the market.

The home was built at some point in the next decade or so (public records don't indicate the exact year it was bought). So this is the first time the home has landed on the market.

It comes with 6,615 square feet of living space.

It comes with 6,615 square feet of living space.
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There are three bedrooms …

There are three bedrooms …

… four-and-a-half bathrooms …

… four-and-a-half bathrooms …
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… a wine cellar …

… a wine cellar …

… two fireplaces …

… two fireplaces …
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... and a four-car garage.

... and a four-car garage.

Not to mention sprawling vineyards as a backyard.

Not to mention sprawling vineyards as a backyard.
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Krenos said Norma Hunt was interested in wine production, so she found a piece of soil that was rich for her to grow the type of grapes she wanted.

Krenos said Norma Hunt was interested in wine production, so she found a piece of soil that was rich for her to grow the type of grapes she wanted.

Then the Hunts focused on building an epic home on top of that as well.

Then the Hunts focused on building an epic home on top of that as well.
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"That's where it all sort of came about," Krenos said. "It wasn't like they were looking for a second home. It was more to fulfill her dream to make wine."

"That's where it all sort of came about," Krenos said. "It wasn't like they were looking for a second home. It was more to fulfill her dream to make wine."

She makes different types of wine, but it's mostly cabernet sauvignon.

She makes different types of wine, but it's mostly cabernet sauvignon.
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She said Hunt got very lucky when she bought the property.

She said Hunt got very lucky when she bought the property.

"The highest and best use of land in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley and any wine country is the soil to grow grapes — it's not residences," she said.

"The highest and best use of land in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley and any wine country is the soil to grow grapes — it's not residences," she said.
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Krenos said Hunt is selling because she doesn't visit the property very often anymore and it seemed like the right time to move on.

Krenos said Hunt is selling because she doesn't visit the property very often anymore and it seemed like the right time to move on.

The property was first listed on the market in June 2019 for $20 million.

The property was first listed on the market in June 2019 for $20 million.
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Four months later, it got a $5 million price cut. It's now available for $15 million.

Four months later, it got a $5 million price cut. It's now available for $15 million.

The real estate listing is marked as "temporarily off market," but Krenos said it's the off-season and it will relaunch on the MLS later this spring. It's still for sale, though.

The real estate listing is marked as "temporarily off market," but Krenos said it's the off-season and it will relaunch on the MLS later this spring. It's still for sale, though.

Source: Compass

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Traveling to it isn't the easiest, Krenos said, since Napa Valley is fairly remote, especially if you're flying into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport.

Traveling to it isn't the easiest, Krenos said, since Napa Valley is fairly remote, especially if you're flying into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport.

But it's not impossible. Krenos said a big selling point of the listing is that the smaller Santa Rosa airport is 30 minutes from the property.

But it's not impossible. Krenos said a big selling point of the listing is that the smaller Santa Rosa airport is 30 minutes from the property.
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And there's a quick flight regularly scheduled between SFO and Santa Rosa as well.

And there's a quick flight regularly scheduled between SFO and Santa Rosa as well.

Which may come in handy if the future owner turns out to live in the thick of Silicon Valley, which Krenos said could end up being the case.

Which may come in handy if the future owner turns out to live in the thick of Silicon Valley, which Krenos said could end up being the case.
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She said the home's future owner will likely be a second-home buyer from somewhere in the Bay Area who wants to get away and be close to the wine country.

She said the home's future owner will likely be a second-home buyer from somewhere in the Bay Area who wants to get away and be close to the wine country.

"They could be a wine aficionado or they could not because oftentimes we will sell a property and the owner — maybe it's a venture capitalist or somebody in the tech world — they don't have the time or bandwidth to make wine," she said. "So they'll just sell their grapes to a local winery."

"They could be a wine aficionado or they could not because oftentimes we will sell a property and the owner — maybe it's a venture capitalist or somebody in the tech world — they don't have the time or bandwidth to make wine," she said. "So they'll just sell their grapes to a local winery."
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As for Norma Hunt, Krenos said she'll continue making wine through her brand, A Perfect Season.

As for Norma Hunt, Krenos said she'll continue making wine through her brand, A Perfect Season.

Just because she's selling the property and its cabernet vines doesn't mean she'll stop producing wine.

Just because she's selling the property and its cabernet vines doesn't mean she'll stop producing wine.
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But with these kinds of listings, the vineyards sell with the home.

But with these kinds of listings, the vineyards sell with the home.

"It's a rare setting in that you are surrounded by vineyards and further out in your view is hills and mountain ranges," Krenos said.

"It's a rare setting in that you are surrounded by vineyards and further out in your view is hills and mountain ranges," Krenos said.
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