Winemaking Team

About Damian Rae Winery | Vineyards | Winemaking Team | Retail Locations

Each bottle of Damian Rae wine is the result of thousands of hours of dedicated effort by an experienced team that’s serious about making elite wines. Damian Rae winemaker Kian Tavakoli is a Napa Valley veteran who first earned his Viticulture degree from UC Davis, after which he spent four years learning cabernet sauvignon winemaking at the legendary Opus One. His amazing talent soon landed him the coveted role of winemaker at Clos Du Val where he ran their red wine program, including their highly-acclaimed reserve bottling. With more than a decade of winemaking, operations and viticultural experience, Kian brings a stellar combination of sensory and production skills that are regarded as among the best in the industry.

Together with Sharol and John Tarabini, Kian leads a team of skilled professionals that manage everything from vineyard selection, harvest, crush, fermentation, aging, blending, and much, much more.