With the construction for the Gervasi distillery and boutique hotel underway, GV Destinations has released the name, renderings and logos for the two new buildings that will reside on the south end of the 55-acre estate.
The distillery is cleverly named “The Still House at Gervasi Vineyard”. A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor.
Following suit for the name of The Crush House (which houses the winery), The Still House will house the distillery, feature craft cocktails, a cigar lounge, and a coffee house. The large 10,000 sq. ft. structure will feature an extensive line of craft spirits including those locally made. The distillery will open with wine barrel aged bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin, and select liquors and brandy. The offering of spirits is still under development and will evolve as Gervasi seeks to obtain a master distiller.
“The inspiration for the Italian structure of the distillery is to replicate the look of a church,” said Ted Swaldo, Owner/Proprietor of GV Destinations. “The church, which includes a bell tower, is the center of the town in small villages in Italy, so we felt it was a perfect fit on the Gervasi estate. It is important for us to continue to connect to the Tuscan-inspired feel, but we also wanted to introduce a new design with a fresh look. We found a photograph of a mission-style chapel in Tuscany that we loved and incorporated it in the design.”
The theme of a mission-style church continues inside as the large open structure boasts high ceilings, wooden beams and pendant lights. In the spacious structure, two cozy lounges are accessible for small groups to retreat. Oversized windows will showcase the distillery to allow guests an inside look at the still process. Outside, cigar aficionados can relax at the cigar lounge overlooking the GV estate.
The Still House will be known as a distillery, craft cocktail and cigar lounge by night, but during the day, the church-like structure will transform into a coffee house. The café will feature a new line of Gervasi’s premium blend of organic, fair trade, locally roasted coffee. A variety of specialty coffee beverages will also be available.
The boutique hotel named “The Casa at Gervasi Vineyard” (“casa” translates to the word “house” in Italian), will be built immediately behind The Still House. The single-story structure will host 24 large, luxurious suites. The 18,000 sq. ft. luxury hotel will complement the Tuscan paradise with the same mission décor including off-white stucco with a dark roof, wood accents and wrought iron. Wall niches and Italian tile inlays adorn both the interior and exterior of the guest rooms. Italian tile floors include wood accents; rustic beams and wood ceiling details crown the Tuscan-inspired look.
The Casa will feature a shared lobby and offer an exercise facility for Gervasi guests. The lavish guest suites will mirror the suites in The Villas with high end amenities and features: luxury king-sized beds, in-room fireplaces, heated tile floors, heated towel bars and grand showers, as well as other deluxe amenities. In addition, each guest suite will have a covered veranda with direct view and access to a private courtyard and pond with beautiful gardens.
An offering of five different Italian-style gourmet continental breakfasts is included for overnight guests and will be delivered to guest rooms, as well as the availability of deluxe in-room services such as spa treatments, massages and yoga. Guests may order Gervasi wines, specialty foods, and flowers to be delivered to their room.