Welcome to Stevens Concrete

Peter Michael Winery

On this page are featured photos from the private tasting area atop the highest point on the estate. The Cote Deux Mille sprouts out from the ridge of a foot hill of Mt. St. Helena providing breath taking views of the estate and of Knights Valley beyond. In the spring and early summer morning fog lays in and creates the impression of being on the edge of a white cotton ocean; the cool breezes blowing in from the west in the evening combine with fiery sunsets to provide a unique wine and culinary experience.

This is the most ambitious project that Stevens Concrete Inc. has had the pleasure to work on.

Frank Borges Construction: Frank Borges and his Project Manager Tony Goveua, drawing on the people that had made the various fast-track projects at Auberge du Sole successful, assembled a veritable dream-team of construction and trade craftsmen and personnel.

A relaxed natural architecture can be a major challenge to build especially when there is an absence of reference points to start from. The structures consist of two interlocking circles with the third outlying over the cliff side. Roofs for the three structures are supplied by giant motorized umbrellas; when opened, they provide shelter from the elements and can be closed to provide a fresh courtyard atmosphere. The design called for the spars of the umbrellas to align with cardinal points on the perimeter walls; the spars would be paralleled by tooled joints in the colored concrete floors; and each of the eight main radial spars of each circle must align perfectly with the adjacent circle's spars. Because of the tight time table, construction of the umbrellas begun before work started on the pavilion. The manufacturer, an Austrian company, had never previously accepted commissions without first inspecting the finished site work prior to construction of the umbrellas. In addition, the center room's umbrella would be larger by a third then any other motorized unit built at that time and they were very reluctant to attempt this project, requiring three custom built units to be fully assembled and ship before the foundation was placed.

The result:
Less than Forty-Five calendar days (yes that's right: 45 days) later this unique fusion of nature, technology, architecture, and wine was unveiled to an ecstatic reception. As the individual umbrellas opened, clearing the tops of the masonry walls, forming a perfect seal and the valley side walls of tempered glass panels slid silently into place, the umbrella company's representatives remarked that in spite of all the impediments it was still the best installation for them yet and how amazed they were at the ease of it all.

Stevens Concrete Inc. is very proud to have played a major role in bringing this project to fruition. Among the many talented people and companies we had the pleasure to work alongside included:

Frank Borges Jr. General Contracting: General Contractor and Project Manager.
Wine Country Concrete: This Company includes several former Stevens Concrete Inc. staff, and was instrumental in getting the pavilion built in record time.
Napa Electric: pulled power out to the middle of nowhere, up a dense brush-choked ravine.
Bell Products: Custom built circular tube runners for the sliding glass windows.
Ogletree's : Welded all the stainless steel frames while suspended over the edge.
Castle Concrete Pumping: Reaching unreachable locations.
Harold Smith & Son: Back a ready-mix truck up a blind, dangerously steep goat trail? No problem.

When you work with the best you can make dreams come true.

Peter Michael Winery: "Cote Duex Mille" Pavilion: Summer 2005.