Chinese firm buys Quixote winery

Napa’s Quixote Winery has been sold to a Chinese-owned firm for US$29 million.

The Stag’s Leap vineyard, owned by organic winemaker Carl Doumani, was purchased by Le Melange, a Chinese-owned private firm registered in the US, according to reports by Wine Spectator.

It is the latest in a series of Asian acquisitions in the area which includes the sale of Michael Mondavi’s winery in Carneros to the Kieu Hoang Winery, owned by a Vietnamese-American who sells exclusively to Asian markets, last month.

Le Melange reported to be owned by a Chinese company called Gold Tower Group, based in Jilin province.

One of its subsidiaries, Jinta Vineyards and Winery, already produces a range of Californian wines having purchased the Hannah Nicole Vineyards & Winery of Brentwood, in Contra Costa County, in 2013.

Founded in the 1990s by Doumani, the striking Quixote winery was designed by Austrian architect and artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

It comprises 29 acres of vines and produces organic Petite Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon wines under its “Quixote” label. 

Doumani, now 81, said he had had a “good run” speaking of his 43 years as a vintner.

While the while retiring from Quixote, will remain a vintner keeping a small Petite Syrah vineyard from which he intends to bottle a new label under the Encandato brand.