Darioush – A king Among Men and Wines
by Anne Martin

What’s in a name? A name like Darioush is a lot to live up to. It comes from the Persian King, Darius the Great (545 BC–486 BC), and means, in ancient Persian, "He who holds firm the good." When I met Darioush Khaledi, the proprietor of Darioush Wines in the Napa Valley, whilst he was in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, I was struck by how appropriate both his noble given name and the name of the winery are. Khaledi immigrated to the US in the 1970s, having grown up in the former wine-growing region of Shiraz in Iran. His father was a hobbyist winemaker, and Khaledi claims to have sneaked sips from the barrels as a boy, which helped to develop his interest in wine. In later life, he went on to become a big collector of Bordeaux wines and hatched a dream of eventually making wine himself. First, however, he had to establish himself in a new country. He had been a civil engineer in Iran but was unable to find work in his profession in the US, so he and his brother-in-law decided to get into the grocery store business. From the first day in this new venture, he says he had two huge disadvantages: "I didn’t speak any English, and I didn’t know the grocery store business." Clearly, he is a quick study because he is now the chairman and CEO of KV Mart Co., a Los Angeles-based grocery chain of over 23 stores that generates millions of dollars in revenue and employs more than 1500 people. He is a humble man, for all that, and lives by the motto "Delegate or die."

Khaledi travelled the world exploring wine regions, but fell in love with the Napa Valley and decided to establish a winery there making Bordeaux-style wines. He was lucky enough to find a wonderful 95-acre estate on the Silverado Trail, and then to meet winemaker Steve Devitt. From there, he began to develop Darioush. The properly is planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Chardonnay vines. The aim is to make small quantities of hand-crafted, high-quality wines in the best vintage years.

I was fortunate to have some of the first Darioush wines on the list at Canoe restaurant when I was the sommelier there, and it was a great treat to reacquaint myself with their portfolio. On this particular afternoon, we tried the Darioush Signature Viognier 2008, the Darioush Signature Chardonnay 2007, the Darioush Signature Cabernet Franc, the Darioush Signature Merlot and the Darioush Signature Cabernet Sauvignon. I have a soft spot for the Viognier because it was the very first wine from this producer that I tasted, and I’ve long been in love with its creamy, rich and unctuous style. It’s not attempting to be a Condrieu from the Rhône Valley, but it does have a lasting mineral finish with ripe peach on the nose. The nod to California comes from the heady scent of jasmine that rises out of the glass. This time I was impressed by the Chardonnay, which seemed to me quite Meursault-like with its ripe-apple palate and its touch of resin. It paired beautifully with the raw tuna that was served for lunch. The real revelation was the Cabernet Franc. Although I’m a fan of this grape, many are not, due to its tendency to taste somewhat stalky and green. If that has been your experience, this excellent Cab Franc will change your view of the grape – it is delicious, with its ripe dark-berry fruit, some mint and wonderful balance. I couldn’t stop drinking it. The Cabernet Sauvignon is their flagship wine, and it was up to its usual fine calibre.
It is always a pleasure in the wine business to meet the people behind the wines. In this case, the enjoyment was further enriched by the discovery that the man behind these wonderful wines is such a class act. Darioush Khaledi has managed to combine his passion for the grape with his Persian heritage and his business acumen to create a world-class winery and wines.

In Ontario, all these wines are available for private order through B&W Wines and are on the wine lists of many fine dining establishments in the GTA like Hy’s Steakhouse, The Harbord Room, Spice Route, Morton’s and St. George’s Golf and Country Club.

Anne Martin is a Toronto-based sommelier, writer and wine consultant. Learn more about Anne, including her cellar and tasting services at www.annemartinwine.com.