Napa Valley’s Stags Leap AVA is home to myriad iconic wineries, each with a distinct personality. Today, we take a hard right turn off Silverado Trail and follow a narrow, tree-lined and split-level road to Quixote, where wine and whimsy intermingle.
We’re greeted with a taste of 2023 rosé of petite sirah, which has a coral blush hue, floral notes and a lively finish. “We like to think of it as a preview of the vintage,” says Estate Ambassador Emily Gude, who explains the wine spends only 90 minutes in skin contact and is released less than a year after crush. “Everything else we make ages for at least three years in barrel, so this is our only chance to taste the harvest more immediately.”
As we sip, we take a short walk from the winery to an overlook spot, where we learn about the property. Quixote encompasses 42 total acres, with 27 planted to vine, primarily petite sirah and cabernet sauvignon (12.5 acres each), but also small amounts of malbec, cab franc and petite verdot. These last three are mostly used for blending.
No straight lines
The Quixote story starts in 1969, when Carl Doumani purchased Stags Leap Winery and the surrounding 400 acres as a place to raise his children away from the bustle of their home in Los Angeles. Over time, the area transformed into a wine mecca—particularly after the 1976 Judgment of Paris—and he watched grand estates spring up around him.
In the mid-1980s, Doumani had a dream to start a new winery that focused on the variety he loved most: petite sirah. He carved off 42 acres for what would become Quixote Winery before selling Stags Leap Winery in 1997. From the start, Doumani knew what he didn’t want in a winery building, and went in search of an architect who could bring imagination and playfulness to his endeavor.
By chance, Doumani came across pictures of famed Austrian artist/environmentalist/architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s work and began courting the designer for the project. It took a meeting of the minds (and a skinny dip in a lake), but the winery facility is like no other. The building is colorful and quirky, with broken tile mosaics, an undulating profile (Hundertwasser eschewed straight lines) and a living roof that’s home to a small contingent of olive trees.
The only Hundertwasser-designed building in the Americas, it needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.
Wines to Remember
We settle in a sunlit parlor to sample some wines and learn about Doumani’s “impossible dream,” which became Quixote. (Doumani has since retired from the wine business and is enjoying his time on his property behind Quixote Winery.)
A small plate of cheese, nuts and dried fruit accompany the tasting, with a special piece of chocolate (from Annette’s Chocolates in Napa) set aside for the petite sirah portion.
A 2019 Panza label cabernet sauvignon is a fruit-forward expression of the variety. We then contrast 2019 and 2017 Quixote cabs—same vineyard block, different growing season. Both are well-balanced and full of life, but the 2017 is extra lush and velvety.
Moving on, we again contrast two vintages, this time 2019 and 2017 petite sirah. These deep, juicy wines are big without being overwhelming. The 2019 has espresso notes, perfectly complemented by the chocolate, while the 2017 leans into our dried cherries with licorice and baking spice galore.
We sip, we snack, we talk, we listen, we learn. We’re surrounded by art and nature, warmed by the sun and satisfied by our provisions.
Did You Know?
Friedensreich Hundertwasser was also commissioned to design Quixote’s wine labels. Seemingly abstract, it’s actually a bird’s eye view of the winery, as imagined by the visionary Austrian. “A work of art on every bottle,” says Estate Manager Ryan Shenk.
Quixote Winery
6126 Silverado Trail
Napa, California 94558
quixotewinery.com
Tastings
Open daily by appointment, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
‘Taste of Quixote’
A sampler wine tasting featuring both Quixote and Panza wines. $50 per person; 45 minutes
Estate Tasting
A seated, hosted tasting of estate wines paired with a gourmet cheese plate. Includes a brief overview of the historical property. $80 per person; 60 minutes
Estate Tour & Tasting
Includes an overview of the historical property while touring production facility and barrel room before sitting down for a hosted tasting of estate wines paired with a gourmet cheese plate. $100 per person; 75 to 90 minutes
Food & Wine Experience
Tour production facility and learn about the history of the winery before sitting down to a seated tasting of estate wines paired with seasonal delicacies prepared by winery chef. $150; 75 to 90 minutes
S’mores & Cabernet Tasting
Enjoy a welcome wine before sitting down to a campfire for roasting S’mores. Learn the story of Quixote Winery pairing s’mores with a four-year vertical of estate cabernet sauvignon. Chocolates and marshmallows provided by Anette’s Chocolate. $110; 60 to 75 minutes
