TEN YEARS AGO, brothers Georges Daou and Daniel Daou set forth across California to find an unrivaled terroir for producing Cabernet Sauvignon, a quest that led them to a place of foretold greatness: DAOU Mountain in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. Here, their vision is to make California “first growth” wine, fulfilling the district’s promise as the world’s next benchmark for Bordeaux varieties.
“We will stop at nothing less than producing the perfect Cabernet Sauvignon, in steadfast
service to DAOU Mountain and its incomparable terroir. We view our quest as a sacred trust,
one that extends to all who step foot on the mountain, and to all who experience the luxuries of DAOU wines around the world.” — G E O RG ES J. DAO U, Proprietor
DAOUVINEYARDS.COM
REGION: ADELAIDA DISTRICT AVA
DAOU MOUNTAIN
MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO, legendary winemaking
2,200 feet above sea level, rising from the heart of the Adelaida
authority André Tchelistcheff stood on the slopes of what would
District. It is a terroir of power, purity and symmetry, with
become known as DAOU Mountain, speaking of great things
every natural asset necessary to pursue the perfect Cabernet
to come from the surrounding Adelaida area in the rugged
Sauvignon—including calcareous clay soils that evoke
coastal range west of Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast.
Bordeaux’s Right Bank and a climate that closely corresponds
That moment has now arrived, as the Adelaida District—one
to St. Helena. The wines are never acidified, as the optimal
of 11 sub-appellations of Paso Robles—is today regarded as the
level of acidity is achieved organically. Additionally, the
next frontier for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon.
phenolics produced on the mountain are uniquely high,
DAOU MOUNTAIN STANDS ALONE at an elevation of
yielding wines of prodigious color, texture and structure. • Slopes ranging from 28% to 56% in grade • Predominantly calcareous clay soils • 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean, facing the marine air
channel of Templeton Gap
• High density planting ranging from 2,234 to 2,480
vines per acre
• Planted to Bordeaux varieties, predominantly
Cabernet Sauvignon
• Top Cabernet Sauvignon clones, including To-Kalon,
169, 337 & 412
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING THE WINEMAKING VISION OF DAOU is to seek absolute purity—in the flavors of the wines, and in how those flavors portray a true reflection of the land. Winemaker Daniel Daou is relentless in his pursuit of this ideal, implementing an array of proprietary techniques and technologies to create one of the most rigorously innovative winemaking programs in the world.
These non-invasive technologies are designed to verify or illuminate what Daniel’s own palate is telling him, providing deep
information for maximizing the fruit’s natural potential—all while avoiding the types of formulaic and often unscientific winemaking that only serve to obstruct the expression of terroir.
Highlights include: • DAOU subscribes to true dry farming where possible, and deficit irrigation
when needed—an approach that maximizes fruit intensity while conserving a precious resource.
• Daniel Daou collects intensive daily data—through both manual field measurement and wireless sensor technology—to
cultivate an optimal vine growth ratio during the crucial early days of the growing season.
• DAOU Estate wines are made with the proprietary “D20” yeast cultured from DAOU Mountain, which is prized for its
remarkable ability to maintain acidity; extract color; amplify flavor and texture; and produce lower alcohols.
• Daniel Daou employs cutting-edge technologies for testing wine phenolics during fermentation, enabling him to precisely
meet his vision for each wine’s color, mouthfeel and tannin profile.
• Daniel Daou supervises the coopering of his own proprietary French oak barrels. The DAOU 5-Year is made from a rare
fine-grain pink oak known as bois rosé, which imparts an array of complex yet subtle flavors to the DAOU Soul of a Lion.
The DAOU Hybrid is composed of oak from the Tronçais and Jupille forests, and is designed specifically for maturing the
DAOU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
“We have challenged ourselves to produce wines that will rival the greatest. There is no question that we have the terroir. Success will come through reverence for this land—the idea that we are not ‘making’ something from it, but rather mirroring all that is already there.” — DA N I EL J. DAO U, Proprietor / Winemaker
ADVISORY BOARD April 26th - 28th, 2017 Dear Friends, You have been personally selected by Master Sommelier Fred Dame to join our inaugural Advisory Board experience on April 26th-28th, 2017, which promises an adventure into the next frontier for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon—DAOU Mountain in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. In total, we expect this hand-selected Advisory Board to be composed of no more than seven leading sommeliers from around the nation. DAOU is honored to host you for the weekend, which includes premium air travel, luxury accommodations, fine dining, outdoor recreation and nightly entertainment. Your journey to DAOU Mountain will be steered by Winemaker Daniel Daou and Fred Dame, M.S., who will lead a series of interactive lectures and tastings, with a focus on the latest breakthroughs in soil science and phenolic mastery. These insights will be reinforced through comparative blind tastings featuring some of the world’s most iconic wines. In the process, you will discover how, in nine short years, we have created a Cabernet Sauvignon that, in the words of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, “will stand toe-to-toe with the best coming out of Napa.” This will be an extraordinary time of professional development and personal fellowship for all of us. We look forward to sharing it with you. With great anticipation,
Georges J. Daou
Daniel J. Daou