Emmet Rixford

Emmet Hawkins Rixford (1841 (some sources state 1846)-1928) was an attorney in San Francisco. In 1884 he began planting his La Questa Vineyard near Woodside, with budwood reputedly sourced from Chateau Margaux.In 1915 his cabernet won the Gold Medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

In 1883 he publishedTHE WINE PRESS AND THE CELLAR: A Manual for the Wine-Maker and the Cellar-Man, the first Californian book devoted solely to wine making as distinct from grape growing. It was intended to provide practical, accessible advice on wine-making for the average person, and quickly became the standard text on the subject. Today first editions sell for around $1200-$2500. It was last reprinted in 2008.

Today, approximately 1 acre of his original vines remain. They are farmed by Woodside Vineyards.