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this winery brings art and wine together like no other destination in the valley. Swiss art collector Donald Hess is behind the 1978 transformation of the Christian Brothers’ 1903 property into a winery–art gallery exhibiting huge, colorful works by the likes of Frank Stella, Francis Bacon, and Andy Goldsworthy. A free self-guided tour leads through the collection and offers glimpses through tiny windows into the winemaking facilities. Newer guided tours and food and wine pairings, which include four wines and seasonal noshes, are available by appointment only Thursday through Saturday for $35 to $50 per person. But you can drop by the tasting room anytime, pay $10, and sample the current cabernet and chardonnay and three other featured wines; $15 to $30 gets you a reserve tasting. Current-release bottles go from $18 to $120. They’ve got a decent gift shop and very picturesque courtyard, too.

4411 Redwood Rd., Napa. 707/255-1144. www.hesscollection.com. Daily 10am–5:30pm, except some holidays. From Hwy. 29 north, exit at Redwood Rd. west, and follow Redwood Rd. for 61⁄2 miles.

Pine Ridge Winery More for the serious wine taster, intimate Pine Ridge welcomes guests with a pretty hillside location, less tourist traffic than most, and coveted cabernet sauvignon. Outside, vineyards surround the well-landscaped property. Across the parking lot is a demonstration vineyard, which is somewhat educational if you know something about grape growing and even more helpful if you take their $25 tour (by appointment), which also covers the cellar and barrel tastings. Otherwise, tastings, which are held inside a modest room, range from $15 to $25 for current releases. If you want to know about food and wine pairing, call to learn whether they’re holding one of their tasty weekend cooking seminars. White-wine lovers should definitely sample their chenin-blanc viogner blend; it’s divine.

5901 Silverado Trail, Napa. 800/575-9777 or 707/253-7500. www.pineridgewinery.com. Daily 10:30am–4:30pm. Tours by appointment at 10am, noon, and 2pm.

Quixote ★★ Due to zoning laws, this spectacular and truly one-of-a-kind Stags’ Leap District winery welcomes up to eight guests per day, all of whom are likely to find themselves as awestruck by the architecture as they are by the powerful petite syrahs and cabernet sauvignons. The hidden, hillside property owned by longtime industry power player Carl Doumani is the only U.S. structure designed by late great European artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Whimsical and captivating even to those who know nothing about design, it’s a structural fantasy world with undulating lines, a gilded onion dome, and a fearless use of color. During the $25-per-person reservation-only sit-down tasting, visitors can fill their agape mouths with tastes of the winery’s current releases.

6126 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707/944-2659. www.quixotewinery.com. Tastings by appointment only Tues–Sun.

The architectural whimsy of Quixote Winery.

Shafer Vineyards ★★ For an intimate, off-the-beaten-track wine experience, make an appointment to tour and taste at this spectacularly low-key destination producing legendary wine. Unlike many Napa wineries, this one is family owned—by John and Doug Shafer—who, along with winemaker Elias Fernandez, use sustainable farming and solar energy to make truly outstanding wines, including chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and syrah. Though they produce only 32,000 cases per year, they have still managed to make their Hillside Select famous. But more importantly, they share it and their winemaking philosophy with you during a truly enjoyable and relaxed $45-per-person 11⁄2-hour tour and tasting. Most wines go for $48 to $70, but their Hillside Select cabernet will cost you $215 (and, should you get your hands on some, is immediately worth more). FYI: Book your tasting tour 4 to 6 weeks in advance online or by phone; the tours are intimate and popular.

6154 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707/944-2877. www.shafervineyards.com. By appointment only Mon–Fri 9am and 4pm; closed weekends and holidays.

Stag’s