Nestled amidst rolling hills and world-class wineries, homes in Central California’s affluent Carmel Valley enclave have long drawn Hollywood stars and industry tycoons ranging from Doris Day and Merv Griffin to Apple co-founder and former CEO Mike Markkula. One particular spot, just east of scenic Highway 1, also holds the 392-acre Holman Ranch where the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Theda Bara, Marlon Brando, and Clark Gable once went to escape. Nearby is the former estate of the late Monkees singer/songwriter Michael Nesmith, which recently sold after a swift 17 days on the market for $3.2 million. Then there’s the sought-after Miramonte neighborhood, where the stunning Ring Lane home owned by veteran Bay Area trial lawyer Jay Neukom has hit the market for a speck under $11 million. Originally built in the 1990s as the “biggest home on the block with no expense spared,” per marketing materials, the stone and slate-roof structure has been extensively renovated during the past two years. Featured are six bedrooms and seven bathrooms in nearly 9,000 square feet of two-level living space adorned throughout with French oak floors, stone fireplaces imported from London, and high-end fixtures by Rose Uniacke, and Roman and Williams. French doors also provide seamless indoor/outdoor environs.
Sited on a bucolic parcel of land spanning well over 3 acres, just minutes away from Carmel-by-the-Sea, the residence is tucked away behind gates and a 300-foot stone wall crafted by Masons from Ireland, and fronted by a circular driveway that passes through a porte-cochère before emptying out at a four-car garage. Once inside, a double-height foyer displaying herringbone-style floors and a curving staircase flows to a fireside living room topped by a soaring vermilion-hued ceiling and formal dining room flaunting a hand-painted mural. A gourmet kitchen sporting top-tier La Cornue and Miele appliances connects to a breakfast nook and spacious family room warmed by a fireplace, and a bookshelf-lined library/office has a stone fireplace and discreet wet bar. The main-level primary suite is decked out with a fireplace, its own patio, a walk-in closet, gym, sauna, and spa-inspired bath equipped with dual vanities, a soaking tub, and large shower, while two upstairs en-suite bedrooms open to tiled balconies, and a guest wing holds three more bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a lounge area.
There’s also a secret bookcase that opens to stairs leading upstairs and a wine cellar with room for more than 1,000 bottles, as well as a bonus space that could easily be used as a playroom or an office. Outdoors, the manicured grounds are laced with grassy lawns, crushed-stone pathways, moss-clad oak trees, and fountains, and hold a swimming pool and spa, tennis court, hedge maze, stone-walled “secret” garden for al fresco dining, and even a private well.
