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. 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
ACCOLADES “While Paso Robles has been synonymous with the Rhône
ESTATE COLLECTION DAOU ESTATE COLLECTION wines are made from the finest vineyard blocks on DAOU Mountain. These wines showcase the visionary talent of Daniel Daou as a winemaker, and embody our mission to produce California “first growth” Cabernet Sauvignon.
RESERVE COLLECTION DAOU RESERVE COLLECTION wines
movement for over a decade now, it is worth noting the quality of the Bordeaux varieties coming from these limestone hills today. While it may be hard for readers to believe, trust me when I tell you that these top-quality releases are a match for the best wines from California’s North Coast.” – Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 96 2014 DAOU Estate Soul of a Lion 95 2015 DAOU Estate Soul of a Lion 97 2014 DAOU Estate Mayote 94 2015 DAOU Estate Mayote 92 2013 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 93 2014 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 94 2015 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 95 2014 DAOU Reserve Seventeen Forty 92 2015 DAOU Reserve Chardonnay 92 2015 DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon 90 2014 Pessimist 92 2015 Pessimist
are made from premium fruit sourced from
“One of 20 of our most ‘outstanding’ red value-for-money wines” - Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
DAOU Mountain as well as select Paso
Wine Enthusiast
Robles AVA vineyards, then blended to
92 2012 DAOU Reserve Aux 91 2013 DAOU Reserve Chardonnay 90 2012 DAOU Reserve Zinfandel 95 2014 DAOU Chemin de Fleurs
create stunningly harmonious offerings.
PASO ROBLES COLLECTION DAOU PASO ROBLES COLLECTION wines are hand-harvested from standout local vineyards and made using the same techniques and standards as our DAOU Reserve and DAOU Estate collections.
by
PESSIMIST is a wine made to rattle the status quo and deliver unprecedented quality in the world of approachable blends. Its aura is youthful, but its appeal is universal. It is sourced from some of Paso Robles’ finest vineyards and crafted according to the renowned standards of the DAOU winemaking program.
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