There’s one thing about Darioush in Napa Valley that makes it starkly completely different from its friends. As the primary Persian-owned vineyard within the area, the breathtaking property presents California wine via a singular cultural and historic lens. That is because of founding husband-and-wife group Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi, whose roots run deep via their merchandise’ specific terroir.
“On the vineyard, we infuse our beliefs in providing heat and gracious hospitality and in sharing our worldly views, from our culinary experiences to the structure and design,” Darioush tells me. “Discovering a option to share essentially the most lovely elements of our heritage—[one] that’s wealthy in artwork, poetry, and wine historical past—is very vital to us.” With Nowruz—the 13-day feast that marks the arrival of the Persian New Yr—beginning this weekend, the Khaledis’ dinner desk is the place to be for the approaching springtime festivities.
The vacation itself is wealthy in custom. “Nowruz begins on the spring equinox and represents rebirth and renewal—the general power is radiant and optimistic,” Darioush explains. The vacation is predicated in historical Zoroastrian traditions courting again greater than 3,000 years; right now, the secular feast is well known by the Khaledis and thousands and thousands of others all over the world. “We collect with family and friends,” the winemaker explains, “and share conventional recipes, take pleasure in wine, learn poetry, and dance.”
In response to Darioush, being with household and family members is crucial a part of the festivities, however he and Shahpar place critical emphasis on the meals and drinks as properly. Born and raised in central Iran’s historic metropolis of Shiraz, wine has been part of his life since lengthy earlier than the pair emigrated from Iran within the late Nineteen Seventies. They haven’t been again since then, and whereas he now calls Napa Valley house, the 4 a long time away from his birthplace have been bittersweet.
The vineyard itself is a year-round ode to Persian tradition that has change into a beacon of hospitality in California Wine Nation. The political unrest surrounding the Iranian Revolution initially introduced the couple to the States—Los Angeles, particularly—the place Darioush would go on to launch and run a profitable native grocery empire. Since then, he and Shahpar have devoted their lives and work to sharing the weather of their homeland they maintain dearest.
When requested how the pair have managed to maintain their households’ traditions alive through the years, Darioush nods to foods and drinks. There are lots of rituals related to Nowruz, together with dressing in new clothes head to toe, coloring eggs, and gifting cash to youngsters, however the winemaker’s favourite is the setting of the Haft-Seen. This assortment of seven objects, every beginning with the letter “S,” represents the pure parts and good omens for the approaching yr. The objects, that are offered on an ornate desk, differ from house to house, although they often embrace symbols of spring, similar to sabzeh (sprouted grains), and sonbol (hyacinth), in addition to dishes like sabzi polo ba mahi—a traditional mixture of fish and crispy herbed tahdig—and samanu—a candy, rose-scented pudding.
In Shahpar’s sabzi polo ba mahi recipe, saffron is the star ingredient in each the fried white fish and the rice, and recent flavors like dill, garlic, scallion, parsley, and bitter orange intermingle on the plate. The Khaledis wish to pair this versatile dish with both chardonnay, merlot, or pinot noir; afterwards, they take pleasure in Shaphar’s samanu with their very own Bordeaux-inspired dessert wine, a late-harvest mix of sauvignon blanc and semillon which Darioush named for his spouse.
2012 is the newest classic of Shahpar, which Darioush produces solely “when nature deems it so,” a becoming theme for a celebration of seasonality. Whereas candy and honeyed, it’s additionally superbly earthy and complicated, with stone fruit, candied citrus peel, and baking spice notes, and a spherical and creamy texture. The wealthy, floral pudding is an exceptional pairing which accents the wine’s fruity flavors in addition to its toasty, oxidative qualities.
For Darioush, wine, household, and custom are clearly and inextricably linked. “Certainly one of my youngest reminiscences was consuming wine from [my father’s] clay vat once I was six years previous,” he recollects. Through the years, the youthful winemaker’s curiosity solely grew, finally blossoming into an obsession that might repeatedly lead him to Bordeaux, the place he labored the harvest for a season. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than Shahpar, who had been working in trend, turned an oenophile in her personal proper. At one level, the pair dreamed of opening a vineyard in France, however after an anniversary journey to Napa Valley, their imaginative and prescient started to take form nearer to house; they opened the doorways to their very own California vineyard in 1998.
At this time, the Darioush property is a hanging emblem of the pair’s nostalgia and love for his or her mom nation. That is evident each in its design—impressed by historical Persepolis—and in an ethos centered across the Persian artwork of tarof, the etiquette of heightened politeness and graciousness meant to make guests really feel deeply revered and welcome. Whether or not you’re toasting the brand new yr amongst Darioush’s hovering stone pillars or serving your individual company a bottle of 2012 Shahpar with dessert, you’ll really feel it too—and that’s worthy of a celebration all its personal.
