The Hacienda At Ceago

A California Estate Where the Land, the Lake, and Generations Come TogetherThere is a moment, climbing into Lake County—whether arriving by road or approaching across the Mayacamas Mountains by private helicopter or seaplane from the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley—when California seems to change. Coastal fog gathers beyond the surrounding mountains, yet much of it never spills into the Clear Lake basin. Above it lies a different landscape—open skies, extraordinary light, warm days, beautiful evenings, and the remarkably clean air for which Lake County has long been known. At approximately 1,400 feet above sea level, Ceago occupies a world of its own along the shores of Clear those arriving by road, the journey follows Clear Lake along State Highway 20. Then the wrought-iron gates arrival begins beneath ancient olive trees, their sculptural trunks lining the drive, while approximately 2,000 Italian cypress, palms, grapes, lavender, gardens, and Blue Weber agave rise throughout the estate. The Hacienda reveals itself slowly—a tiled roof through the trees, a tower, heavy timbers, a courtyard, and then, through a distant breezeway, the first glimpse of Clear , the light softens. Old-world chandeliers hang from massive timber ceilings, gardens appear unexpectedly through openings in the walls, and the sound of fountains follows you from one space to another, almost like passage opens into the Pomo Room, where large woven works inspired by historic Edward S. Curtis imagery honor the Indigenous people whose relationship with Clear Lake reaches back through generations. Images of tule harvesting, seed gathering, remarkable basketry, and tule boats connect the Hacienda to a much older story of the land and lake. Nearby, the original Ceago Tasting Rooms and courtyards recall another chapter—wine being poured, food being prepared, and guests gathering around long , everything seems to lead back toward the light. A fountain appears ahead. Beyond it rises a great palm. And behind the palm, the the Hacienda opens onto the Terraza. Here, the sky suddenly becomes enormous. Broad verandas frame the courtyard, a fountain anchors the center, and Clear Lake stretches across the horizon. Beyond the Terraza, rows of agave line the path toward the water, their blue-gray leaves echoing the color of the from the Terraza and adjoining gardens is El Taller—the Grand Workshop—an expansive unfinished space envisioned for cooking, creating, learning, and gathering. It is a place where future generations might make wine, preserve the harvest, share a meal, pursue an art, or simply come together around something being made by , the Galería Courtyard reveals Ceago's more social side. A covered outdoor kitchen beneath massive timber beams, long counters, wine barrels, fountains, gardens, and adjoining rooms create the feeling of an old working California hacienda. The rooms, courtyards, verandas, and gardens all connect. That natural flow has allowed Ceago to host substantial gatherings while still maintaining intimate spaces for a family dinner, a glass of wine, or a quiet evening beside a the shoreline, La Palapa offers an entirely different experience—a secluded, naturally sandy beach beneath mature trees, with a full bar, outdoor cooking and grilling, and relaxed places to gather just steps from the water. It has the easy character of a private beach club that feels as though it has always belonged sits the Boat House & Bar, and beyond it an approximately 350-foot pier reaches into Clear Lake. Floating docks accommodate both boats and seaplanes, creating the possibility of an unforgettable arrival directly across the water. For those arriving by helicopter, Ceago also has a dedicated landing area elsewhere on the Ceago's story extends far beyond its is a living, working estate where grapes become wine, ancient olives still bear fruit, and younger olive groves carry forward the tradition of estate olive oil. Lavender has been harvested and distilled here into essential oil and hydrosol. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit grow in the gardens and orchards for cooking, canning, preserving, and sharing. And rows of agave are maturing toward a future harvest for Ceago connection to the land has been part of Ceago from the beginning. From its early development, the farm was worked using biodynamic principles—viewing the land as an interconnected living system and farming with the natural rhythms and cycles of the earth, sun, and moon. The BD Tower, where biodynamic preparations, including horn manure and silica, were stored and mixed, remains a physical reminder of that is something fitting in the way that philosophy echoes the much older relationship between the Indigenous people of the Clear Lake region and this land—a respect for its seasons, water, plants, wildlife, and natural rhythms. At Ceago, that connection remains visible not as a single feature, but in the way the entire estate comes it all is Clear Lake—an ancient, mature lake alive with wildlife. Bald eagles and osprey circle overhead. Pelicans, grebes, herons, and egrets move across the water. Otters and turtles inhabit the shoreline, while beneath the surface lies one of California's renowned bass fisheries. Here, the lake is not simply something to look at. It is part of everyday comes at Ceago is an event of its own. The western sky begins to change, washing the mountains and lake in gold, amber, rose, and brilliant red. The water catches the color while palms and cypress become silhouettes against the fading light. It is a time when people naturally stop what they are doing and simply , agriculture, wildlife, water, architecture, and people are not separate stories. They are the story of is not simply an estate you come to see. It is a place you come to feel—a place of abundance, discovery, and celebration; a place to cook, garden, harvest, gather, play, and explore; a place where families and generations can come together, where the land and lake are still very much alive, and where, as the sun sets over Clear Lake, time seems to disappear.