Ep 26 Napa Valley Wine Tasting - Darioush Winery - Vine Cliff Vineyards - White Collar Vagabond
Jennifer & I celebrated our 1 year anniversary with a trip to the San Francisco Bay area and enjoyed our special day with a trip to Napa Valley with wonderful friends and a wine tasting at the Darioush winery and a fabulous picnic at the Vine Cliff Vineyards.
The Darioush Winery story is wonderful and Frank shared it with us:
The Darioush Story
The opening of the new winery and visitor center is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting moments in my life. Ever since I was a young man, when I began my passion for great wine, I dreamt of this day.
Darioush Khaledi grew up in Shiraz, one of Iran's prominent wine-growing regions. His father was a hobbyist winemaker and as a young boy, Khaledi used to sneak sips from the barrel; as a young adult he became a devoted collector of fine wines.
Trained as a civil engineer and with a career in construction, Darioush left Iran in the late 1970's and emigrated to Southern California where he was faced with the challenge of rebuilding his life. Darioush and his brother-in-law pooled their resources and purchased a failing grocery store in the city of Los Angeles. Now thirty years later, together they operate one of the most successful independently owned grocery businesses in the United States, which alone employs over 1500 people.
As the success of his grocery business grew, his passion for fine wine transformed from collector to producer. No longer was Darioush interested solely in collecting the world's finest wines he was driven to create hand-crafted wines with the highest quality standards.
Darioush is the culmination of the worldwide search for the ultimate vineyard estate. The Darioush Estate's ninety-five acres are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay and Viognier.
Nestled in a quiet canyon above the Silverado Trail in the world famous Napa Valley stand the breathtaking vineyards of Vine Cliff Winery. Known for rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignons from the treasured Oakville Appellation and bold Chardonnays from the acclaimed Carneros District, Vine Cliff Winery prides itself on small lots of intensely flavored, hand-made wines.
Darioush_Winery_FastMix, Darioush Winery, Napa Valley, California, USA
Darioush, a winery noted for its Bordeaux style estate wines, implements old world labor-intensive, micro-vineyard management and new world state of the art technology to craft fine wines from its estates located in the appellations of Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder and Oak Knoll. Under the direction of Darioush Khaledi and winemaker Steve Devitt, precision and quality are of the utmost importance at the winery.
The Property
Darioush welcomes guests to its new visitor center and winery beginning August 16, 2004. The new architectural building comes after five years in the making, and combines materials, castings, and furnishings from distant lands and exotic locations. The 22,000 square foot winery, the first in America to combine architecture, design and Persian culture, provides a unique and exhilarating experience in California's most renowned wine destination. Reminiscent of the great noble architecture that once existed, the imagery of the Darioush building evokes Persepolis, the illustrious capital of ancient Persia.
The Khaledi's Persian heritage is the inspiration and vision for the winery, designed by architects Ardeshir and Roshan Nozari, incorporating clean, contemporary lines with historical references to Persia's ancient capital city. One of the most important aspects of the Persian culture is hospitality, and the winery is designed to create a welcoming, enjoyable as well as a rich and intriguing environment for guests. Visitors will receive unparalleled service and a sensational experience.
The juxtaposition of modern clean lines and historical references represent the philosophy of our office, states Ardeshir Nozari, who incorporated many intriguing architectural elements throughout the building. Among the design features of interest are the 16 monumental 18' freestanding columns with capital bulls, which act as stone trees at the entrance of the winery, elevating visitor expectations. Richly textured travertine-stone cladding surrounds the entire building. This yellow stone was quarried near the region of Persepolis and exported to Turkey and Italy for cutting and tumbling before it reached the Silverado Trail in Napa. Additional design features include pre-cast moldings, furniture, fireplaces, ironwork, lighting, cellars, and an amphitheatre for performances and events.
The Visitor Center boasts a state of the art facility offering a unique one-on-one experience to taste the complete line of signature wines with options for indoor and outdoor seating. Six outdoor water features with fountains and one indoor rolling wall of water comprise some of the sights and sounds of the guest experience. Lush and varied landscaping creates a sequence of continuous gardens, which lead the visitors to the winery.
Darioush_Winery_SlowMix, Darioush Winery, Napa Valley, California, USA
Darioush, a winery noted for its Bordeaux style estate wines, implements old world labor-intensive, micro-vineyard management and new world state of the art technology to craft fine wines from its estates located in the appellations of Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder and Oak Knoll. Under the direction of Darioush Khaledi and winemaker Steve Devitt, precision and quality are of the utmost importance at the winery.
The Property
Darioush welcomes guests to its new visitor center and winery beginning August 16, 2004. The new architectural building comes after five years in the making, and combines materials, castings, and furnishings from distant lands and exotic locations. The 22,000 square foot winery, the first in America to combine architecture, design and Persian culture, provides a unique and exhilarating experience in California's most renowned wine destination. Reminiscent of the great noble architecture that once existed, the imagery of the Darioush building evokes Persepolis, the illustrious capital of ancient Persia.
The Khaledi's Persian heritage is the inspiration and vision for the winery, designed by architects Ardeshir and Roshan Nozari, incorporating clean, contemporary lines with historical references to Persia's ancient capital city. One of the most important aspects of the Persian culture is hospitality, and the winery is designed to create a welcoming, enjoyable as well as a rich and intriguing environment for guests. Visitors will receive unparalleled service and a sensational experience.
The juxtaposition of modern clean lines and historical references represent the philosophy of our office, states Ardeshir Nozari, who incorporated many intriguing architectural elements throughout the building. Among the design features of interest are the 16 monumental 18' freestanding columns with capital bulls, which act as stone trees at the entrance of the winery, elevating visitor expectations. Richly textured travertine-stone cladding surrounds the entire building. This yellow stone was quarried near the region of Persepolis and exported to Turkey and Italy for cutting and tumbling before it reached the Silverado Trail in Napa. Additional design features include pre-cast moldings, furniture, fireplaces, ironwork, lighting, cellars, and an amphitheatre for performances and events.
The Visitor Center boasts a state of the art facility offering a unique one-on-one experience to taste the complete line of signature wines with options for indoor and outdoor seating. Six outdoor water features with fountains and one indoor rolling wall of water comprise some of the sights and sounds of the guest experience. Lush and varied landscaping creates a sequence of continuous gardens, which lead the visitors to the winery.
Napa & Sonoma Wine Country, California, USA - Drone
Napa & Sonoma Wine Country: Castello Di Amorosa, Ledson, Peju Province, Artesa, Sterling, Far Niente, Darioush, Clos Pegase, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Domaine Carneros, Quixote, Ferrari-Carano, Del Dotto Estate, Chateau Montelena, Bale Grist Mill & Beringer
The Napa & Sonoma Valley is one of the most scenic and beautiful wine country to visit in Northern California. October is a perfect month because the fall colors turns to red & gold which showcases a more dramatic hills & valleys of the vineyards. Because Napa is very close to where we live, my wife and I often spend our weekends there because of its beauty and great places to eat. When I got my first drone, it is here where I practiced aerial videos and revisited the same places where we had gone before for photography. To this day, we are still discovering new wineries and restaurants.
There are over 430 Wineries in Napa Valley and over 380 wineries in Sonoma Valley. An astounding 95% of Napa Valley wineries are family-owned. It was The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, known as the Judgment of Paris event which placed Napa Valley on the map worldwide. This blind, comparative tasting pitted Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from California against the best wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy in a blind tasting. When the tasting was done, the judges had given top honors to Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley would never be the same and transformed Napa Valley into one of the premiere wine regions in the world.
Charles Krug is credited with establishing Napa Valley's first commercial winery in 1861: including Schramsberg (founded in 1862), Beringer (1876) and Inglenook (1879).
Aside for its wines (especially Cabernet Sauvignon wines), Napa Valley is also renowned for its fine and diverse cuisine. In fact, the region’s 100-plus restaurants have won more Michelin stars per capita than any other wine country in the world. Among the popular Michelin-starred restaurants include La Toque, The Restaurant at Auberge and The French Laundry.
Besides its arts & culture, you can go around the valley by biking or hiking, sip beer and spirits, see the Old Faithful geyser in Napa city of Calistoga, attend museums and music festivals, go shopping, and ride a hot-air balloon at sunrise.
* music by BenSound
Hess Collection - Napa, California
The Hess Collection -- a producer of a variety of Napa Valley wines and a unique wine country exhibitor of vivid, powerful and thought-provoking modern art. For a review, check the following link:
Pine Ridge Vineyards - Napa, California
Pine Ridge Vineyards was established in 1978, the winery is tucked into wide side hills located along the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley. They specialize in Chardonnay and Bordeaux varietals. To see a review and more pictures, click the link below:
B Cellars Winery, Napa Valley Blends
Get the story about B-Cellars from their winemaker Kirk Venge and owners Jim Borsack and Duffy Keys. Utilizing the best grapes from the finest Napa vineyards, B-Cellars consistently offers great wine
Sonoma - Wine Tasting 10-5 Daily , Larson Family Winery, Day 14, USA California 2015
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Sonoma - Wine Tasting 10-5 Daily , Larson Family Winery,
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Petalume, CA
Oysters farm in Petaluma, CA
RV Roadtrip Diary - Part 02 of 15 - Mumm Napa Winery, Napa Valley
Special thanks to Dan Dolen from Reserve Wine Tours
Book your own holiday from
Follow Rohan and Paul and the mischief they get up to as they travel through some of the most beautiful parts of America and the Californian West Coast.
Domaine Carneros Winery_One of the best wineries in Napa Valey
Winery specializing in still & sparkling wines, with a French-inspired château & formal gardens.
Napa Valley Sparkling Wine and Pinot Noir
Silverado Vineyards - Stags Leap, Napa Valley
In the heart of Napa Valley's Stags Leap District sits a rocky peak with a spectacular Mediterranean-style stone winery perched on top. That winery is the iconic Silverado Vineyards, named after the abandoned mining town at the north end of the Napa Valley. Silverado Vineyards is best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, but Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and small batches of Zinfandel and Sangiovese are also grown on their six estate vineyards. To see my review of Silverado Vineyards and pictures check out California Wine Tasting Adventures:
California's Wine Country - Best Winery Tours in Sonoma & Napa Valley
Visit California's Wine Country to enjoy some of the best wines in the world! Napa Valley & Sonoma County are the most popular wine destinations in the USA and for good reason. Find out more at and make the most of your experience by hiring a winery guide and taking a tour.
Impromptu Guide to Napa Valley Wineries and Vineyards
Napa Valley is well known for its wine and vineyards, but many of them require reservations and even memberships. I am reviewing three gorgeous vineyards/wineries that don't need any reservation, just drive in and enjoy!
1) Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery. 389 4th St. E, Sonoma, CA 95476
2) Buena Vista Winery . 18000 Old Winery RD. Sonoma, CA 95476
3) The Hess Collection Vineyard. 1445 Mt Veeder Rd, Napa, CA 94558
V. Sattui Winery St Helena California Napa Valley 04/01/2018
V. Sattui Winery St Helena California Napa Valley
2015 Darioush Viognier Napa Valley California White Wine
2015 Darioush Viognier Napa Valley California White Wine
Beringer Vineyards & Winery in St. Helena, California ( Napa Valley)
Beringer Vineyards:
Designated Driver / Guide Service:
Designated Driver Referral Service:
I took this video of the Beringer Vineyards grounds while my clients were on a Wine Tour & Tasting.
This video was taken May 25, 2009 of the Beringer Vineyards beautiful grounds.
Napa Valley wineries Silverado Trail
webstorytellers.com produced this video for the Silverado Trail. This is the road less traveled in Napa Valley California. There are many wineries, red wine, white wine, tasting rooms, Napa Valley wine gifts, and international wineries that serve up Napa Valley Wines that are second to none.
Far Niente Winery - Oakville, California
One of the most beautiful estates in the Napa Valley, Far Niente Winery was founded in Oakville, California in 1885 and restored in 1979. They specialize in Burgundian stye Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauterne-style wine called Dolce. To see a review and more pictures check the link below:
Franciscan Estate Winery (Napa Valley, United States) - The Best Wineries of the World
For over 35 years there has been a select group of winemakers in the Napa Valley who have been pioneering the craft of fine winemaking. One of the founding members of this lineage established pristine vineyards in Oakville, and focused on the meticulous principles of small-lot winemaking and his unwavering pursuit to capture the supreme expression of the land. Franciscan Estate was established in 1973 and began producing wines of true character from our Oakville estate in 1975. At Franciscan Estate, we only use grapes of the highest quality worthy to bear the Franciscan Estate crest. We strive to create wines of the highest character and excellence in every vintage. This is what devotion to wines of true character is all about. It is in every bottle and embodied in our crest that has been a sign of excellence on our wines for over 20 years.
Website:
Napa Valley Luxury Wine Tours
napavalleyluxurywinetours.com