Darius Allyn, a native of Seattle, became the 71st American to pass the Master Sommelier examination in 2005. Prior to this, he earned his Advanced Oenology Diploma from renowned wine-making school U.C. Davis in 2004.
With over 35 years of practical experience in the hospitality industry, Allyn has led multiple grand award-winning wine programs worldwide. He strongly advocates wine education through mentorships, beginning as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas for over 6 years.
He is a recognized and accomplished international Wine Seminar speaker, Critic/Judge, and writer. He spent 9 years living in Hong Kong with his prior business GenWine LLC being a forerunner in building client bases in multiple Asian countries focused on specialized services at elite levels for private and Corporate clients in 9 countries and 28 markets before returning to the USA in 2023.
Currently, Allyn is the Owner/Operator of DAF Selections Ltd, a company based in Santa Cruz, California providing import and export services for clients in Asia, Europe, and the USA.
Since 2013, he has been visiting grape-growing and winemaking regions in mainland China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian countries focusing on upcoming regions like Ningxia and Xinjiang. Allyn has also been actively educating, promoting, and trading wines in the regions.
