Steve Devitt, Direct of Viticulture and Founding Winemaker, heads all winegrowing and viticulture activities at Darioush. He oversees new vineyard developments and all aspects of the Estate's wine production. His understanding of microclimates, the local soils and the wines they produce enable him to craft wines that best express the character of each individual vineyard. A fifth generation Californian and son of a Napa Valley winemaking family, Steve found his early calling working alongside his father in Napa’s Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards and in Sonoma’s Russian River, where he developed an appreciation for cooler locales. Later, he returned to Southern Napa Valley to further develop his style – ripe, structured and rich, yet tempered by the cooling influences he desires in selecting vineyard locales – crafting expressive wines, true to their sense of place. This was the founding philosophy and intention he shared with Darioush upon their meeting in 1996.