We are back at Darioush Winery I’m Kelly Mitchell, The Wine Siren, for Wine Paths Travel We are on location at Darioush Winery in Napa Valley and I am here with Danielle Boutros who is the Wine Education Director here and Danielle I’m so curious because we’ve had some interesting discussions about creating an exceptional client experience tell me a little bit about how Darioush’s philosophy on wine education marries the tasting experience and what makes it different. Sure well first and foremost Darioush is I mean literally its in his culture it’s an his heritage to you know offer the most the utmost experience the most warm experience that he can possibly give to our guests who come in the door and so part of that is for our people our employees to be as educated as possible so that their their passion for wine can be shared with the guests so I think that really and I do think something you said earlier makes it makes a lot of sense is that you know we have an interesting beautiful architecturally speaking Darioush is but when you walk in it sometimes can take you back a little bit but I hope I’d like to think that this place is full of warmth and that we also the staff exudes that as well.
So the education is a big piece of that. Our people are very well trained they have WSET Level 2. We’re all we’ve all passed in some course higher and and so I think that really really transfers to the experience that the guests can have. That’s fantastic and to have everybody on a program like that is is exceptional I mean a lot of places don’t require. That’s right Darioush is just was very generous that way he offered that to everyone and everyone passed with flying colors which was wonderful! Cheers. Cheers! And I love the glasses these are not your ordinary winery glasses. They’re Riedels Oh Riedels! Love that. Wow that’s very nice. Sometimes people like to hear about the notes and the explanation about the notes how what is the philosophy for Darioush to approach a guest and and when you’re sharing a glass of beautiful wine like this how what’s the interaction like? Well you know I think that the most important thing and we have all learned this as hospitality people that you need to be able to read your guests that’s that’s the first and foremost the most important thing.
If someone comes in and they know wine they’re comfortable with wine and they put their nose in the glass and they are enjoying it and they just want to you you can tell if they just want to read it for what it is enjoy it and not they’re not asking a lot of questions we won’t say well this is what you’re getting out of this glass. You know and this is what you’re getting is why we will explain the wine of course okay we will explain where it comes from and all we might give a couple of descriptors but we kind of let them guide us a little bit in that regard you know. Love it. We are sipping on the 2018 Viognier from the Oakville vineyards. Tell me a little bit about, if you will Travis what the pairing experience is like when a visitor comes in to the winery and how what is a science behind you creating pairings. Well um you know first and foremost I like to think that we try to cater to every guest experience to the best of our ability to give them utmost attention to detail and kind of like a sense of family and community.Very cool.
You know as far as the pairing goes it’s something that you know it unfortunately I have to drink a lot of wine to figure that out. Cheers to that! So yeah my job’s really tough. But no seriously yeah it’s about experience and you know a lot of the ideas for me it’s a little unorthodox kind of kind of come to me in my sleep. Favorite things to pair with a Viognier that has a little bit of acidity to it. Yeah so I’m not gonna give you complete dishes because I want people to come in and have their experiences but I can give you components um you know I really like sea urchin with the Viognier. It’s a little left-field and some people might be a bit know I might be unapproachable for some people but the funny thing is is sometimes when you go to a tasting menu you just eat things before you ask questions and then afterwards like I didn’t know I just ate that but I liked it.
Oh I love it. Yeah and so we have that ability to do here and that’s why you know I’m telling you I don’t want to give you all the information because I want guests to to come in with that ability of you know no judgment no preconceived opinions. Absolutely. And we were signing off from Darioush Winery in Napa Valley. See you soon! .
Read More: Wine and Dine Guide | Napa Wine Tours by Joy
