Darioush

One of the newest wineries in the Napa Valley is also one of the most unusual to behold, a Persian palace plunked down just outside Napa. Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi came to America from Iran in the 1970s and after a stint in the grocery business set about creating their dream winery. They made their first wines in 1997, but the visitor center, with its unique mix of Persian and contemporary architecture, didn’t open until 2004.

This is a hard-to-miss winery, thanks in part to the 16 giant sandstone pillars, each topped with a double-headed bull, that take the place of more traditional trees in front of the main entrance. The theme is continued in the luxurious interior, where carved sandstone, which looks like it’s straight from the set of Raiders of the Lost Ark, blends seamlessly with designer furnishings more often seen in a contemporary art museum.

About half the winery’s total production of 9,000 cases is the Signature cabernet sauvignon, a luxurious wine made with all five bordeaux varietals. Other wines include (appropriately) a shiraz made from the grape named for the Shiraz region of Iran where it is believed to have originated, and where the Khaledis grew up. Merlot, chardonnay, and viognier round out the wines offered, and all are made with grapes from the winery’s 75 acres of vineyards spread throughout the Napa Valley (4240 Silverado Trail, Napa, 707/257-2345, www.darioush.com, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, $10 tasting fee).