Xurus Winery Breaks the Mold In Lake County

The story of Xurus Wine began with two brothers-in-law who shared a passion for making world-class wine. They found a special vineyard in Lake County, California, and realized they could break all the area stereotypes of the region and create something special. To achieve their goal, they hired Denis Malbec, a world-renowned winemaker and consultant from Bordeaux who formerly worked at Château Latour, to craft the first Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon in 2007.

I talked to the two Xurus co-owners, Ali Namdar and Kambiz Safinya, about how they first decided this secluded vineyard in Lake County could produce high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. By bringing in one of the industry’s top winemakers and focusing on meticulous care of the vines, they brought that vision to reality.

Sonatina Vineyard, Courtesy of Xurus

It took over a year to buy the vineyard. Then they began the land tests to show them exactly where they needed to farm. They told me it wasn’t about Lake County as a region. It was all about the specific vineyard.

Inspired by the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism, the rooster (Xurus) signifies the guardian angel protecting from darkness, just as a good wine can elevate an occasion.

Denis Malbec, Winemaker Formerly with Chateaû Latour, Photo Courtesy of Xurus

They told me that Denis found them. He was friends with David Weiss, the vineyard manager, who introduced the vineyard and they both determined a world-class