Darioush: the Persian Palace in Napa Valley

The first time I went to Darioush Winery, I was overwhelmed by its grandiose architecture. Just driving past the tall gate and down the driveway lined with Persian columns, you know you're in for a visual treat. I felt a little like I was in a real life enactment of "Aladdin".

Once inside, you are welcomed into the hustle and bustle by an attractive concierge. You are directed to an empty spot at the tasting counter or to a private area where another smartly dressed

attendant will greet you; before your wines arrives is the perfect opportunity to feast your eyes on the palatial beauty of the Tasting Room and its ambassadors.

It amazes me how busy Darioush always is, but it never feels chaotic. The Darioush staff interacts with each other and the customers as if this were a ballet performance; it's an elegant experience provided by knowledgeable professionals (no dance attire, but no jeans, blue hair, or visible tattoos either).

The second time I visited Darioush in March 2009, I noticed a great improvement in the wines.

I really enjoyed the Pinot Noir and the Merlot and even the Chardonnay. Although Darioush is among many Napa Valley producers that bottle Syrah, Darioush is the only winery that I know of in the state of California (in the country maybe?) that calls it Shiraz.

In Australia, it's Shiraz. In America, it's usually referred to as Syrah. It's technically the same grape but it tastes differently depending on where it's grown. And Persians believe they were the original growers of this particular varietal, where they refer to it as Shiraz, too. But when I think of the more subtle differences between Shiraz and Syrah, tannin structure immediately c

omes to mind. The Australian version of this wine is always much bigger and tannic (sometimes with chunky, chalky, or ill-integrated tannins) than the American Syrah. So when I tasted the Darioush "Shiraz", I was pleasantly surprised by how smooth and approachable it was.

Most recently, I liked all of the wines I tasted at Darioush. The "Duel" (a Cab/Shiraz

blend, something that you won't see at any other winery) is still too tannic for my taste buds, but the Merlot (so opulent and plummy), the Cabernet Sauvignon (sturdy yet fruit-forward but a little pricey for my current income), and the Viognier (refreshing and delicious) stole my heart!

We stocked up on the Merlot and the Viognier, which in a good economy sells out by Labor Day. With a floral nose that leads to a medium body of tropical and stone fruits, and slightly sweet finish, this Viognier rivals any German Spatlese or even the fuller flavored Auslese. I highly recommend taking a bottle of the Darioush Viognier to Go Fish Restaurant in St. Helena. This is the perfect wine for sushi!

Blackbird on Main Street

Although the Cheers! St. Helena events are on hold until May, Cheers! To Taste events are going strong. These particular get-togethers are designed for industry peeps with the hopes of providing opportunities to make new connections and sip some good wine in the process.

Yesterday, the monthly Cheers! To Taste party was held at I. Wolk Gallery on Main Street in St. Helena, which was recently purchased by the folks who own Ma(i)sonry. Ma(i)sonry is a wine collective/living arts studio on Washington Street in Yountville. I love visiting Ma(i)sonry--great art, great wines, what's not to love? Last night was great because they brought the

Ma(i)sonry line up of wines to downtown St. Helena, including a bottle of Blackbird Vineyards, which is made by Aaron Potts and owned by Michael Polenski.

Each of the Blackbird wines (Illustrations, Contrarian, Paramour) is a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, and sometimes Cab. At $90 a bottle, these are serious wines that are juicy, fruit-driven, elegant, and seriously good. As a big fan of Blackbird, that's what I opted for. I didn't even notice which of the above was listed on the bottle (I saw the birds, and I was sold!), and sure enough, it was delicious. Does anyone who went to the party last night which Blackbird wine this was?

A visit to Ma(i)sonry is both an aesthetically and palate pleasing experience. In addition to the Blackbird wines, they feature Brown Estate Zinfandels, Renteria, Rivera Vineyards, Pedras, Tamber Bey and more. These are tiny producers who don't have their own tasting rooms (same concept as Napa Wine Co., where Blackbird is bottled). Go to Ma(i)sonry on a warm sunny evening and sit outside. It's absolutely fabulous! (But even on a cold night, there is a huge outdoor firepit to keep you warm.)

As a side note, I'd like to add that I want to make this blog more interactive. If you have any questions about anything I write, please ask. Likewise, if there is a wine or winery that you'd like to know more about, let me know!

Wine and Honey at Honig

Since I "found" a bottle of 1998 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon in the cellar in the house where I live with my mother, I have been wanting to visit the Honig Winery for a tasting of their current releases. I had taken the 1998 Cab to dinner at Cook in St. Helena and it was still remarkably youthful and a delight to drink.

The current releases proved to be just as enjoyable. I forgot to ask what Honig's total case production is, but I know it's small. Set on an idyllic piece of property off Rutherford Road, their driveway lined with olive trees, this is a winery that has found their strengths and is sticking to what they do best: Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

They make two of each. The 2008 SB is a fruity with a mineral core and bright acidity; at $14 a bottle, it is very drinkable. The 2007 Reserve SB went through partial malo-lactic fermentation and is thus medium bodied with rounder flavors and less acidity. My vote was for the first of the two and it is what you'll find on store shelves.

My feelings were similar for the Cabs. The 2006 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is approachable with silky tannins, dark fruit and cocoa flavors. The 2005 Bartollucci Vineyard Cab is more austere, with chewy tannins and pronounced earthiness. I rarely refer to wines as feminine and masculine, but in this case, the first was feminine (I went home with a bottle of this one), the second was masculine (my male tasting partner got a bottle of this one).

Honig means "honey" in German. In addition to the four wines discussed above, they also produce a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc, which was sweet and delicious, with honey undertones. They also bottle honey on the estate, and their olive trees are harvested by Round Pond.

You can do a tasting of this delicious olive oil at Round Pond; their olive oil tasting room is located just off Honig's driveway.