Darioush Winery

Darioush Winery is the most architecturally dramatic estate on the Silverado Trail, a Persian-inspired palace of travertine columns, reflecting pools, and grand proportions that transports visitors from the Stags Leap District to the ancient ruins of Persepolis. Founded in 1997 by Darioush Khaledi, an Iranian-born businessman who fled the 1979 revolution and built a successful wine importing business in America, the winery is both a tribute to his Persian heritage and a celebration of his American success. The building, modeled on the ceremonial palace of the Persian kings, is one of the most photographed structures in Napa Valley.

The estate encompasses 120 acres of vineyard in the Stags Leap District, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz (the winery deliberately uses the Persian spelling rather than "Syrah"), Chardonnay, and Viognier. The Stags Leap terroir, with its volcanic soils and the thermal influence of the palisades, produces Cabernet of signature elegance and power. The Shiraz planting is a nod to the variety's Persian origins (Shiraz being a city in Iran), and the wine shows the spicy, dark-fruited character that the grape achieves in the warm Stags Leap climate.

Winemaker Steve Devitt produces a portfolio that bridges Persian culture and Napa Valley terroir. The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship, a wine of impressive power and polish that reflects the estate's grand architectural ambitions. The Signature Shiraz is one of the finest examples of the variety in the valley, with the peppery complexity and dark fruit that recall the wines of the northern Rhone. The Darius II Cabernet, from the estate's finest blocks, is the reserve bottling and one of the most acclaimed wines on the Silverado Trail. The Chardonnay and Viognier provide white wine options of genuine quality.

The tasting experience at Darioush is among the most visually spectacular in the valley. Visitors approach through a colonnade of 16 travertine columns, each standing 18 feet tall, before entering a grand hall that combines Persian architectural motifs with Napa Valley warmth. Tastings are seated and guided, with several levels of experience from a standard flight to the private Khaledi Collection tasting. The outdoor terrace, overlooking the estate vineyard with the palisades rising behind, provides one of the most photographed settings in wine country. The $80 tasting fee reflects the caliber of both the wines and the setting.

Darioush's importance to Napa Valley extends beyond its wines. The building is a cultural statement, a monument to the Persian civilization that invented winemaking over 7,000 years ago, built by an immigrant who came to America with nothing and created something magnificent. For visitors, the combination of ancient-feeling architecture, modern luxury, and excellent wine creates an experience that is simultaneously educational, emotional, and unforgettable.