Darioush

Darioush Khaledi was born and raised in Iran and trained as a civil engineer; his interest in wine began with his father’s winemaking efforts and the winemaking history of Shiraz. He and his wife Shahpar immigrated to California from Iran in 1976. With his brother-in-law he built the KV Mart grocery business, which grew to 41 stores at its peak. Khaledi became a US citizen in 1982. The couple founded Darioush in 1998, buying a 33-acre property on the Silverado Trail from George Altamura; the site had housed Altamura winery. Khaledi’s lifelong love of Bordeaux inspired the winery, and he chose California over the Right Bank. In 2008 he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The winery celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. Darioush is family-owned: Darioush, Shahpar and their daughter Sally Khaledi are the proprietors, and Sally formally joined the winery in 2021.

• 1976: Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi immigrate to California from Iran.
• 1998: Darioush founded; the 33-acre Silverado Trail property is bought from George Altamura.
• 2004: the winery and visitor center open.
• 2008: Darioush Khaledi receives the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
• 2021: Sally Khaledi formally joins the winery; 2023: 25th anniversary.

The proprietors are Darioush Khaledi, Shahpar Khaledi and Sally Khaledi. Matthew Sharp joined as President in 2025, after serving as Managing Director of Shafer Vineyards. Michael Tracy is Vice President, Winemaking; he holds a degree in Viticulture and Enology from Cornell University and an MBA in Wine Business from Sonoma State University. Allen Papp is Vice President, Global Sales, and Trycel Alvarez-Pihl is Chief Financial Officer. Steve Devitt was founding winemaker and director of viticulture from 1998 to 2018, and the Devitt Vineyard is named in his honor. Hope Goldie joined in 2005 as oenologist and became director of winemaking after Devitt retired; she is the listed winemaker for the 2023 Darius II and 2023 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon. Michel Rolland consulted from 2013.

• Proprietors: Darioush, Shahpar and Sally Khaledi.
• President: Matthew Sharp, since 2025. Vice President, Winemaking: Michael Tracy.
• Steve Devitt: founding winemaker and director of viticulture, 1998 to 2018.
• Hope Goldie: joined in 2005 as oenologist, later director of winemaking; listed winemaker of the 2023 Darius II.
• Michel Rolland: consultant from 2013.

Darioush looks for land in cool corners of Napa Valley and grows classic French varieties from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. The Darioush Estate, at the southern tip of the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley AVA, holds the winery and a 25-acre estate vineyard of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz on primarily Forward loam, with vine ages of 3 to 23 years; its blocks include Apadana, and the site supplies Darius II. The 22-acre Sage Vineyard on Mount Veeder sits at 1,850 to 2,080 feet on volcanic soil, Boomer loam with some gravelly Forward loam, and is planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc in 30 distinct blocks. The 12-acre Salumeh Vineyard in Coombsville is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc on Sobrante and Hambright soils. The Devitt Vineyard lies on the eastern benchlands of the Vaca Range, bordered by Yountville Cross Road to the south and the Silverado Trail to the east; partially replanted in 1999, it has been certified organic since 2006 and is dry-farmed with no irrigation. The 21-acre site was formerly the Grigsby Vineyard. Darioush has sourced Cabernet Sauvignon since 2021 from the Rahmat Vineyard, a 20-acre property near Atlas Peak with seven acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, named in honor of Darioush Khaledi’s father. Oak Knoll supplies Viognier, and Chardonnay comes from the winery estate and Los Carneros. Each vineyard is farmed organically, some are certified Regenerative, and all sites are deemed Bee Friendly and Fish Friendly Farming.

• Darioush Estate (Napa Valley AVA): 25-acre estate vineyard; home of the Apadana block.
• Sage Vineyard (Mount Veeder): 22 acres at 1,850 to 2,080 feet; 30 distinct blocks.
• Salumeh Vineyard (Coombsville): 12 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
• Devitt Vineyard: certified organic since 2006, dry-farmed; formerly the Grigsby Vineyard.
• Rahmat Vineyard near Atlas Peak: a Cabernet Sauvignon source since 2021.

Darioush calls Darius II the crown jewel of the estate. The 2022 and 2023 vintages are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 21 months in 75% new French oak, from the Darioush Winery Estate, the Sage Vineyard, the Rahmat Vineyard and Spring Mountain, and the wine is sold only to First Offering members. Since the first vintage, 1999, a unique artwork highlighting an ancient tradition in Persian art has been chosen for each Darius II label, and recent labels come from the collections of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. The Signature range covers Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from vineyards on largely Goldridge soil. The 2023 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from estate vineyards in Napa Valley, Mount Veeder, Coombsville and Yountville, with contributions from Spring Mountain, and runs to 10,250 cases. Winery exclusives include the Sage Vineyard Red Wine, made only in select vintages; Duel, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend that varies year to year; and Pedar, an estate Shiraz whose name means father in Farsi. A Late Harvest Shahpar of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon is made only in years with botrytis.

• Darius II: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon in 2022 and 2023; 21 months in 75% new French oak; First Offering members only.
• Signature range: includes a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
• Winery exclusives: Sage Vineyard Red Wine, Sage Sauvignon Blanc, Duel and Pedar Shiraz.
• Late Harvest Shahpar: botrytis-affected Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, made only when conditions allow.

The winery and visitor center, 22,000 square feet, took five years to build and opened in 2004. Its design draws on Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenian Empire, and in particular on the stone columns that still stand in the hall of King Darius I. When it opened, a row of sixteen 18-foot columns topped with depictions of bulls led to the entrance, and the travertine had been mined in Iran and cut and polished in Italy. The building includes a winemaking facility and barrel cellar, a tasting salon, a commercial kitchen, a 150-seat amphitheater and the family residence. Hospitality follows taarof, the Persian art of politeness and of making guests feel more at home than home itself, and Shahpar Khaledi designs the seasonal menus around the garden she tends behind the winery.

• 22,000 square feet, opened in 2004 after five years of construction.
• Modeled on Persepolis; travertine mined in Iran, cut and polished in Italy.
• Includes a 150-seat amphitheater, barrel cellar, commercial kitchen and family residence.

Darioush Khaledi told Decanter: ‘We blend complexity by site more than by varietal.’ The winery describes the hallmark of its Signature Cabernet Sauvignon as “seamlessness,” and says its winemaking team today creates “wines that showcase freshness, focus, and composure.” The Napa Wine Project describes the wines as elegant, graceful and sophisticated, with texture as a hallmark and well-integrated tannins.

Primary sources (producer’s own site): https://www.darioush.com/origins/, https://www.darioush.com/winemaking/, https://www.darioush.com/our-family/, https://www.darioush.com/our-family/darioush-khaledi/, https://www.darioush.com/our-family/shahpar-khaledi/, https://www.darioush.com/our-family/sally-khaledi/, https://www.darioush.com/our-family/michael-tracy/, https://www.darioush.com/our-family/matthew-sharp/, https://www.darioush.com/darius-current/, https://www.darioush.com/darius-history/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/wine/darioush-signature/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/product/2023-signature-cabernet-sauvignon/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/product/2023-sage-vineyard-red-wine/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/product/2022-pedar-shiraz/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/product/2023-signature-chardonnay/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/wine/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/product/2014-late-harvest-shahpar/, https://www.darioush.com/shop/product/2022-darius-ii-cabernet-sauvignon-magnum/. Secondary sources: Decanter (Jonathan Cristaldi, last updated 16 January 2024), The Press Democrat (13 June 2023), Wine Spectator (11 October 2004), The Napa Wine Project, and Napa Valley Vintners (napavalley.wine). Last verified 2026-10-18. Where the producer’s site and a secondary source disagree, the producer’s site governs.