Tour "The Rock Star" Of Napa Lawrence Fairchild's Glamorous Tasting Room

Michael McCarthy Michael McCarthy | September 16, 2021 | Home & Real Estate,

Lawrence Fairchild, owner of Stones Wine, creates a dazzling, art-filled tasting room fit for memorable experiences.

Gold chairs from Minotti contrast beautifully with the rich mocha-colored bar in the tasting room.

Lawrence Fairchild is sometimes referred to as the rock star of Napa. Not only does he produce exceptional and collectable wines via Stones Wine, Perrarus and Fairchild Napa Valley, but the man has an unwavering flair for design, art and fashion.

Stones Wine owner Lawrence Fairchild

He regularly dons Valentino, Alexander McQueen and Dior; his rings are from David Yurman and Soho jeweler The Hunt. He occupies a space that is at once beautifully deliberate, calibrated and iconoclastic.

Gucci tiger wallpaper lines two strategic walls, adding a whimsical and artistic layer to the room

Fairchild is an original.

And, for collectors and those who believe in the art of experiential travel, so is Fairchild’s new tasting room, also referred to as the House of Perrarus Entertainment Center. “Luxury consumers are now looking for elevated experiences with the brands they know and love,” Fairchild says about the new 900-square-foot interior space (more square footage extends outside). “This has been especially true after a year where travel and in-person experiential offers were limited. The desire for personal and private experiences has grown in popularity with wine collectors.”

Art plays a pivotal role in every aspect of the space.

Fairchild says the Entertainment Center provides the opportunity to create intimate and memorable days and nights, particularly the House of Perrarus: Stones Wine Michelin Star Experience, where guests will dine on specially curated bites from a Michelin-awarded chef paired with Stones Wine. “This space will also serve as a showroom for my annual Perrarus collection,” he says. “The limited-edition Perrarus wines are so unique and collectable that we often aren’t able to provide regular tastings.”

Architect Robert Gregory ensured that the space would be at once light-filled and intimate.

Clients who have the opportunity to visit the room will immediately understand its guiding force: art. “My design aesthetic is original and unexpected,” Fairchild says. “I like to push the edge on the details and combine influence from modern art and fashion to create one-of-a-kind collections and experiences. KAWS, Jackson Pollock, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Wosene Kosrof, Cédric Bouteiller and Alexander McQueen are just some of the artists that inspire me.” Two Kosrof pieces grace the entrance, each telling a story about the African musical and cultural diaspora. Guests also will see original works by Bouteiller and Robert Mars. An Emmanuel Fleury sculpture resides on the dining table. “Fleury is somewhat famous with Parisians, having multiple large-scale pieces installed throughout Paris. The piece, ‘Mirror,’ is an image of a man looking at himself in the future—at the end of his life.”

The outdoor area benefits from 80-year-old olive trees, two fire features, a vintage 600-pound concrete table and furniture from Giorgetti Apsara.

While architect Robert Gregory—who’s influenced by Balinese open-space design—created the room’s bones, Fairchild was responsible for all of the interior design. He chose the furnishings, colors and custom works. “Many of the pieces were custom built, such as the island table with zebra wood legs and a black concrete top,” Fairchild says. “[We added] other pieces that I’ve held on to for years, such as a modern daybed [with an acid-washed gold-leaf frame] that was featured on the cover of Metropolitan Home.”

A couch from Minotti and a coffee table from the Phillips Collection are standouts in the tasting room.

Another tone-setting element of the tasting room is the Gucci wallpaper, strategically placed on two statement walls. “Gucci is one of my favorite fashion houses, as its designs are ever changing and exciting,” Fairchild says. “They have mastered the intersection between fashion and interior design, and the Gucci Tiger Face wallpapers were the perfect statement to complement the fun interior.” Standout furnishings include a couch and chairs from Minotti, chrome bar Jamaica bar stools designed by Pepe Cortes and outdoor furniture by Giorgetti. The custom-designed kitchen cabinetry features horizontal-grain walnut.

A custom-made vintage daybed with an acid-washed gold-leaf frame

No one who enters this new space, however, will ever forget its overarching purpose to showcase wine—especially bottles that are works of art. “With each of my wine collections, the goal is to [make] something that has never been created,” Fairchild says. “I begin by sketching conceptual ideas, whether a bottle design or label concept. Next, I move directly to the story. What will make the design concept interesting to a global wine collector and tell a meaningful story? I then work backward to the bottle, label and packaging. I [want] the presentation to be as special as what’s inside the bottle. No detail is spared.”

Custom horizontal-grain walnut cabinetry lines the kitchen area.

Fairchild says his most exclusive collection, the Perrarus series, is the culmination of a lifelong appreciation of wine, art and innovation. “From vessel to finishing notes, each Perrarus bottle is handblown and designed to be an entity of one with unrivaled, rare excellence. For my most recent Perrarus, The Museum Series, I drew inspiration from a 6000 B.C. Greek amphora with delicate handles and an elegantly pointed bottom. Because of the shape, the bottle cannot stand by itself and is elevated in a magnificent translucent museum case.”

A handblown Perrarus bottle from The Museum Series.

For those cool nights that invite wine and conversation, Fairchild wanted to create the same level of luxury achieved with the tasting room’s interior. He planted 80-year-old olive trees and added two fire features and a vintage Italian concrete handpainted table—weighing 600 pounds—that had been in storage for more than 20 years. The new lounge is perfect for viewing sunsets, and a soothing water feature is a focal point from all of the spaces.

Lawrence Fairchild served as the interior decorator.

Fairchild says he’s truly pleased with his smashing new entertainment center, something guests will notice immediately. “I think there were two major surprises upon moving into the property,” he says. “First, nearly every aspect of the property, from the kitchen to the living areas, turned out better than expected. [They’re] more visually pleasing and relaxing. The second is my enjoyment of the commercial glass-washer, which cleans my wine glasses—sometimes that can number 100 [at a time]—in 120 seconds. What a treat.” And for those lucky enough to visit this testament to culture and wine, the treats will manifest themselves for years to come.

Award-winning bottles from Stones Wine.