Darioush Winery in Napa, California. [Courtesy of Kwak, Min Jung / AJU Business Daily]
Fall will officially begin on September 22 and the harvest will begin soon. Warm summer breeze will no more and the autumn breeze will take over to cool the ground. Don't be sad that the summer will end because there are plenty of things to do during fall: like visiting your favorite winery during harvest season.
Darioush Winery [Courtesy of Kwak, Min Jung / AJU Business Daily ]
Many wineries are getting ready to introduce their new line of wines in fall, so visiting wineries during this season can be the perfect weekend trip.
Darioush Chardonnay [Courtesy of Kwak, Min Jung / AJU Business Daily ]
Major wineries are good options but if you want to have a different experience, try to visit the boutique, family-owned wineries like Darioush Winery in Napa, California.
When you enter the Darioush estate, the first thing you notice is the regal Persian architecture that looks like it popped out from a history book. It is a smaller replica of Palace of Darius from Persia.
The owner Darioush Khaledi who is originally from Iran was inspired by wine culture of Shiraz in Iran, and the ancient city of Persepolis, Persia. He and his wife Shahpar founded Darioush Winery in 1997 where they could merge the traditional wine culture with modern day technique. They poured their hearts and souls into creating an ultimate wine estate that they had dreamed. Every single detail was not overlooked and was carefully designed.
Wine grapes in Darioush Winery vineyard. [Courtesy of Kwak, Min Jung / AJU Business Daily ]
When Darioush and winemaker Steve Devitt searched for the perfect property, they made a very unorthodox choice and bought the current estate that is located in southern Napa Valley. It was against the trend in the late 90s when the major wineries were purchasing vineyards in northern Napa Valley. However, the cooler microclimate of southern Napa allowed them to create a unique Californian Bordeaux style wines.
Darioush Winery [Courtesy of Kwak, Min Jung / AJU Business Daily]
The winery is now famous for its palatial architecture and for its superb Cabernet Sauvignon that embodies Darioush and Devitt's dreams. Darioush Merlot and Chardonnay follow closely behind with many fans who regularly come back to the estate for the wines.
Wine and cheese pairing offered at Darioush Winery. [Courtesy of Kwak, Min Jung / AJU Business Daily ]
If you plan to visit the winery in the weekend, don't forget to make a reservation before visiting because the special tastings and tours get booked pretty quickly. One of the good tasting to check out is Darioush wine and cheese pairing because it began offering cheese from the local cheesemaker, Cowgirl Creamery. Every bite and every sip were carefully designed to give Darioush visitors the best experience they can offer.
Darioush wine and cheese pairing [Courtesy of Kwak, Min Jung / AJU Business Daily ]
Another interesting thing about Darioush Winery is that it is used as a primary residence for the owner and his family. They reside in the estate a half a year.
After a tasting and a tour, you can walk around the estate to take a look at Darioush vineyards or take a seat in the outdoor area to relax and admire the beautiful architecture.
Kwak, Min Jung = abiel@ajunews.com
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