The Historic La Questa Vineyard | EST. 1883
E. H. Rixford displayed the growing confidence in California as a new wine growing region as illustrated on the frontispiece to the title page of his book published in 1883, “The Wine Press and the Cellar” (San Francisco). Lady Liberty is popping a cork of wine while the state’s mascot, California grizzly bear holds a wine glass filled while leaning against a barrel with its head bearing the state seal.
In 1883, Emmett H. Rixford, a practicing San Francisco attorney-at-law purchased 40 acres on a hillside near the corner of Canada and Woodside Road in Woodside establishing the La Questa Vineyard. As a side hobby, Rixford had a serious passion for studying the problems associated with growing premium varietals and vintage wines in California. His interest guided him to write an authoritative book on winemaking for its time, "The Wine Press and the Cellar" published in 1883.
Rixford admired the Chateau Margaux vineyard in France and the wine they produced. Before planting his first vineyard in 1884, Rixford traveled there to get the exact proportions of their vineyard. He returned to California and followed their exact proportions in every respect planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Verdot grapes.
By 1892, Rixford had imported 7,000 vines from France that covered the hillside in Woodside growing some of the most prized of all California Cabernets. The La Questa Cabernet Sauvignon won a silver medal at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, and a gold medal at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.
On most wine lists in the 1900s, the most expensive and prized above all California Cabernet came from Rixford's La Questa Vineyard in Woodside.
In 1902, Rixford hired Swiss Stonemason Charles Rose to build him a winery using the stones uncovered while preparing the land to plant the vineyard. San Francisco's 1906 earthquake damaged the winery, afterward with Rose's help it was rebuilt and later converted to a private residence that is still in use today
The 18th Amendment in 1920, the prohibition of alcohol, wiped out the commercial production of wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains and throughout the country. Although, a small provision allowed for 200 gallons of wine per year, per household continued to create a demand for California winegrapes.
In 1902, Rixford hired a Swiss Stone Mason to build a winery using stones uncovered while planting the vineyard. The stone walls of the fermenting room and the vault exist today as a private residence.
During Prohibition, Rixford continued to maintain the vineyard and harvest grapes that were sold to local residents who made their own wine. It was more profitable for him to sell the grapes direct to the customer than to make it into wine.
E.H Rixford died in 1928, just 5 years before Prohibition of alcohol was repealed. The La Questa winery was the only one in the county to reopen by Rixford's two sons, Allan and Halsey, but was short lived producing their last bottle of La Questa Cabernet Sauvignon in 1938.
The original La Questa vines planted in 1884 still produce fruit today, supplying Woodside Vineyard with grapes from the original grapevines to produce a rare and long-time prized California Cabernet with the rich terroir of the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation.
Preserving the Historic Vineyards & Winemaking Heritage in the Santa Cruz Mountains
