Darioush Khaledi has long been a fan of Bordeaux wines, traveling to the French wine region, collecting bottles, and even scouting property there to open a winery. But his plans shifted after he and his wife, Shahpar, made the trip from Southern California to Napa Valley in 1988 for their wedding anniversary. Khaledi unexpectedly discovered a world-class wine region much closer to home, realizing that Napa wines could compete with the best in the world.
Iranian-born Khaledi, 77, developed a love of wine at a younger age than most people in the industry. As a youngster in Persia, he was exposed to Shiraz, the eponymous grape of the city where he grew up. “There was no age limit for consumption in Iran before the revolution,” Khaledi explains. “It started from my childhood when my father made wine in Shiraz for a hobby and [for our] family.”
Ten years after that first visit to California wine country, Khaledi unearthed an estate on Napa’s scenic Silverado Trail, reviving a property that had been abandoned for 38 years. Since the early days, Khaledi has focused on elevating the winery experience, merging exceptional wines with stellar hospitality. His 120 acres of estate vineyards span several appellations, producing Bordeaux and Rhône-style wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier, and Shiraz , his favorite variety and the wine he tasted as a child. Darius II—a blend of the finest barrels and the winery’s crown jewel—is bottled in partnership with London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.