Building of Notaviva Documented in HGTV's 'Dream House' Series

The 18th Season of the Show Will Feature the Local Winery and Its Owners

By Rachael Dickson (Contact)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Six years ago, Shannon and Stephen Mackey, then just a couple on a date, went to an event at Breaux Vineyards in Purcellville. After wondering if only millionaires were able to open up wineries, they became determined to do everything they could to open their own vineyard. And starting this weekend, viewers can watch that dream come to life, as the building of Notaviva Vineyards is chronicled in the 18th season of HGTV's "Dream House."

"We decided to do this completely on a romantic whim," Stephen said. "But once we decided we were going to do it, then we really approached it from a business perspective."

It was that combination of dream and reality that attracted Debra Koehler, the executive producer of the "Dream House" series, to the Mackeys.

Photo: Rachael Dickson

Stephen Mackey shows off the land at Notaviva. Stephen and his wife Shannon were married on the land in June 2004 in the midst of creating their vineyard.

"[It was] the vastness of their vision, not just building a dream house... they were starting a dream life," Koehler said. "It was centered around the home but it was so much more than the home. They put everything into this vision they had for their future."

Months later, they purchased 42 acres of land near Breaux and began working, testing soil, planting a research vineyard, and getting ready for their first large planting. They married in June of 2004 on the future vineyard in a specially landscaped wedding glade.

In 2006, after three years of work just on the vineyard, the Mackeys were getting ready to build the vineyard's main building, which was planned to serve three purposes: a tasting room for the winery, an event venue, and a home for the Mackeys and their two sons.

"Our financial plan really only encompassed purchasing the land," Stephen said. "[For a long time] we had no idea when or if we would ever be able to do a vineyard or a tasting room."

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Notaviva Vineyards

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The timber frame of the Mackeys home at Notaviva was one of the reasons HGTV producers were attracted to the project. (Rachael Dickson)

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The performance stage in Notaviva's main building is raised on a loft and speakers positioned around the room ensure audio clarity from every spot in the room. (Rachael Dickson)

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Stephen Mackey shows off the land at Notaviva. Stephen and his wife Shannon were married on the land in June 2004 in the midst of creating their vineyard. (Rachael Dickson)

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The curved tasting bar in Notaviva was built specially as a counterpoint to the straight angles and timber frames throughout the room. (Rachael Dickson)

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Inside the main building of Notaviva Vineyards, which is being featured in the 18th season of HGTV's "Dream House" series. (Rachael Dickson)

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Instruments wait on the stage at Notaviva. The Mackeys like to combine the wine tasting experience with different types of music and have designed their tasting room accordingly. (Rachael Dickson)

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Stephen Mackey of Notaviva Vineyards gives a kiss to his 3-year old son Tristan. (Rachael Dickson)

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A look at the tasting bar from the stage above. (Rachael Dickson)

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Stephen Mackey displays many items from his touring days with musicians, including memorabilia from Jars of Clay and Amy Grant. (Rachael Dickson)

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The view from Notaviva's music loft, complete with a drop down screen. The multimedia technology in the room includes 17 carefully positioned speakers which allow the audience to hear the live music from any location. (Rachael Dickson)

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Stephen Mackey opens the high deer fence built around the vineyard to protect it. (Rachael Dickson)

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The vineyards at Notaviva, as seen during June. (Rachael Dickson)

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The main building at Notaviva boasts catwalks alongside the stage, which sits on a loft. (Rachael Dickson)

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Almost as a joke, they applied to be on HGTV's "Dream House" series in late February of 2006. According to Koehler, the producers liked the Mackeys' vision from the start. Six weeks after applying the Mackeys were chosen for the series out of over 6,000 entries.

The show needed a compelling story with dynamic personalities to fill up the 8 to 13 episodes per season, and Notaviva fit the bill. Koehler also said that the timber frame of the house, built by local construction company Ronald M. Hawes Inc., was another plus to producers.

"We hadn't seen a show in the 'Dream House' series that was a timber frame home," she said. "The construction is visually compelling, and it's a really spectacular style of home when it's finished."

TV crews came out and filmed the construction of the building and the Mackeys at work a few days a week from the groundbreaking in April 2006 to the housewarming party in July 2007.

The final result of all that filming will begin airing this Saturday morning at 7 a.m. on HGTV.

"[The show] is definitely going to bring awareness that Loudoun is really thriving in the wine industry," said Lori Corcoran of the Loudoun Wineries Association. "I think it's going to be very good for Loudoun. We're very excited that [Stephen and Shannon] have this opportunity."

Photo: Rachael Dickson

The performance stage in Notaviva's main building is raised on a loft and speakers positioned around the room ensure audio clarity from every spot in the room.

"Our whole reason for getting involved in the show was to tell our story, from the perspective of two normal definitely-not-rich people who were betting it all on achieving a dream for each other, our children, our families and friends, and for the greater good of everyone who would come walking through our tasting room doors," Stephen said. "It is our most sincere desire that our story will touch people, anyone who has a dream of their own and is just afraid to take that first step. "

The building ended up costing more than a million dollars. Part of the expense was the acoustics and audiovisual system in the main tasting room, as part of the Mackeys' other business, Mesh Multimedia.

A performance stage is set in a high loft above the room, with catwalks running out around it. Seventeen speakers positioned at different parts of the room are designed to maintain audio clarity from every location. The room also features multiple HDTVs. This summer the vineyard hosted a series of weekend concerts using this space.

"We redesigned the entire roofline just for the acoustics," Stephen said. "It ended up costing us more money, but that's not something you can change after the fact. You've got to get it right the first time. "

Acoustics are an important part of Notaviva's branding, as each wine is paired with a type of music. For example, the Mackeys suggest sipping their "Vivace" Viognier, the winner of a 2008 Virginia State Fair Gold Ribbon, while listening to acoustic or electric guitar rock. Other Notaviva wines are paired with string quartets, traditional Celtic fiddle tunes, and Beethoven's 9th symphony.

Now that the HGTV episode summaries have been posted online, the Mackeys worry about how they will be portrayed in the show. The couple plans on keeping a running commentary on the episodes of the show on their vineyard blog.

"My biggest concern is how much 'artificial melodrama' they will try to insert for the sake of creating tension," Stephen said. "It is entirely up to the show producers to pick and choose sound bites to tell the story as they see fit."

Notaviva has released a set of three wines based around their "Dream House" experience.

"We wanted to convey a little bit of a sense of what we went through to make this happen," Stephen said. "So the three wines are called Dream, Build and Believe."

The wines come with specially designed labels showing the first house on the property, the wooden frame of the building and the complete building.

The first half-hour episode of the "Dream House" season featuring the Mackeys will air at 7 a.m. this Saturday on HGTV.

Tagged: construction, entertainment, music, Notaviva Vineyards, wine, winery

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