Darioush Khaledi reminisced on his foray into the wine world, which led to the founding of Darioush, one of Napa Valley’s most prestigious brands. “My love of wine has always been in my blood, and my dream of owning a winery slowly developed.” In the 1990s, Darioush and his wife Shahpar visited Napa to celebrate their 20th anniversary. By their 25th, they lived in Napa Valley and owned the winery now known as Darioush, a world-class wine producer.
It was in Shiraz, Iran, that Khaledi had his first sip of wine. “My father made wine—not commercially, but for family consumption. I was around six when I went to his cellar and saw a big clay vat fermenting and aging wine. I climbed on top of the vat and smelled something good but couldn’t reach it. I took a towel hanging above, dipped it in the wine, and drank the wine off the towel. That was my first experience drinking wine.”
Khaledi earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from the Polytechnique of Tehran, which is considered the top engineering school in the Middle East. After completing his studies, he started a construction business with two friends. Their company was successful, and within just eight years, they secured the largest contract with the government of Iran. They constructed military bases, highways, tunnels, and bridges. Unfortunately, in 1979, the revolution in Iran resulted in the loss of everything Khaledi had worked so hard for, including his company and real estate holdings.
Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi // Photo courtesy of Darioush Khaledi
He and Shahpar moved to California and after falling in love with Redondo Beach, the pair decided to buy a house there. Through hard work and dedication, they built a successful chain of supermarkets in Southern California, with 41 locations spanning from San Diego to Oxnard. Khaledi had discovered a lack of catering to the Hispanic community and aimed to provide high-quality food and wine that met their needs, especially in low-income areas with first-generation Mexicans.
This empathetic mindset also led him to become later involved with Napa Valley’s OLE Health, a health organization serving the most vulnerable in the Napa and Solano communities.
As a foundation board member, Khaledi played a significant role in establishing the community garden at OLE’s South Napa campus. He raised funds to support its aims to provide fresh produce to those in need, educate people on preparing healthy meals, and teach them how to plant home gardens. OLE Health named the garden “Darioush Community Garden” in his honor for his unwavering dedication to the program.
“I wanted to address health disparities and help end childhood obesity in the community, and the garden and nutrition services seemed like a perfect way to do that.” When asked how he has successfully raised funds for OLE Health, Khaledi explained, “Many people in Napa are happy with where they are today and happy to give back.”
Both of his children participate in the family wine business. “My son [Kashy] runs his winery, Ashes and Diamonds, and my daughter [Sally] helps me at Darioush. And, hopefully, one day, after I am gone, they will both take over.”
