Inside Santa Ynez, California’s Quail H Ranch

Nestled in a picturesque pastoral pocket of the abundantly sunny Santa Ynez Valley, Quail H Ranch is an idyllic 296-acre collection of gentle hills, pastures, rolling grassland dotting with mature oaks, and untouched open space.

Santa Ynez, California | Mike Brady, Micah Brady, & Jennifer Nation, Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Ynez Valley Brokerage

At the heart of the ranch is a delightful 8,200-square-foot residence built in 2009 and full of classic California charm. Making entertaining easy is its assemblage of an expertly outfitted gourmet kitchen and family room, a service or caterer’s kitchen, a butler’s pantry, and a wine storage room. Beyond are formal living and dining rooms displaying superior-quality finishes and a handsome study with a wet bar. Running along one side of the home is window-lined gallery filled with glorious light and opening to a courtyard perfect for alfresco dining and celebrating beside the ranch’s refreshing pool and spa. Among the four bedrooms is a peaceful master suite with his and her baths, dual closets, and a quiet office. Five fireplaces contribute warmth and character throughout the home. A wraparound covered porch allows for easy, breezy relaxation and appreciation of sweeping majestic views.

Not far from the main home are the welcoming guest quarters, namely a timelessly renovated 1920s cottage that includes living and dining rooms, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and one bath. The estate also offers an enchanting two-bedroom cottage with its own living room.

Quail H’s acreage consists of two legal parcels and can serve a number of purposes. The pastureland has been fenced and cross-fenced for grazing, with a portion remaining open to serve as a “cowboy polo” field. Horses are welcome and well-tended thanks to dressage and cutting arenas, a hot walker, irrigated pastures for riding, a five-stall barn with wash and tack rooms, and a restored vintage three-stall barn with hay and equipment storage space and an entertainment loft with a bar. In addition, the location—a peaceful corner of Santa Barbara County known as the Happy Canyon American Viticultural Area—makes the ranch ideal for the creation of a vineyard producing Bordeaux grapes. This is an ideal getaway just moments from the delightful small towns of the Santa Ynez Valley, known as one of the nation’s most popular winery destinations.

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