NFL legend Joe Montana puts Calistoga villa on the market for $28.9 million

San Francisco 49ers great Joe Montana is selling a distinctive 500-acre Napa Valley villa for $28.9 million.

The equestrian estate in Calistoga was inspired by he and his wife Jennifer's travels in Italy and France during breaks in the NFL legend's career, according to the listing agents.

“Villa Montana” includes an Italianate main house, guesthouse/art studio, caretakers cottage, professional equestrian arena and stables for 30 horses with offices and staff residences.

The 9,700 square foot home, built over a five year period and completed in 2003, includes three bedrooms, three ensuite baths and a powder room.

The sale is separate from another Calistoga ranch the Montanas have listed for $3.1 million.

Most of the contents of “Villa Montana” were imported from Europe, a Compass real estate representative said in an email, including antique marble floors, sinks, fireplaces, ironwork torchères, mantels and 16th century iron gates.

The villa is loaded with distinctive features. Two turreted towers offer 360 views of Mt. St. Helena. There are elaborate wood-beamed and vaulted ceilings. An expansive wine cellar houses 3,500 bottles of wine, a tasting room and a terrace for outdoor wine tasting.

The landscaping features groves of ancient Tuscan varietal olive trees-which produce up to 60 gallons of olive oil that the Montanas bottle each year-grape vines, a pond for swimming and fishing, a pool, regulation bocci ball terrace and a basketball/tennis court.

The Montanas are listing the estate because it's time for them to move on. Their children, ages 27-33, are grown up and the family spends less time there.

Joe and Jennifer Montana have moved to San Francisco where Joe runs his venture-capital firm, Liquid 2 Ventures.

The property originally hit the market for $49 million in 2009, but a Compass representative said the Montanas took it off “when their four children begged them to keep it a few more years.” The estate received offers then, according to the representative. Now it's listed at a 41 percent discount.

The property is listed by Compass agents Avram Goldman and Tim Hayden.