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 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 are made from premium fruit sourced from DAOU Mountain as well as select Paso Robles AVA vineyards, then blended
“While Paso Robles has been synonymous with the Rhône 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 94 2014 DAOU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 94 2015 DAOU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95 2014 DAOU Estate Micho 95 2014 DAOU Estate Cabernet Franc 95 2015 DAOU Estate Cabernet Franc 93 2014 DAOU Estate Cuvee Lizzy 94 2015 DAOU Estate Cuvee Lizzy 91 2015 DAOU Estate Sauvignon Blanc 93 2014 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 94 2015 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 95 2014 DAOU Reserve 1740 92 2015 DAOU Reserve Chardonnay 90 2014 DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon
to create stunningly harmonious offerings. Wine Enthusiast 92 2012 DAOU Reserve Aux 91 2013 DAOU Reserve Chardonnay 91 2013 Grenache Blanc
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.
Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine 94 2012 DAOU Estate Soul of a Lion 93 2013 DAOU Estate Soul of a Lion 92 2013 DAOU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95 2012 DAOU Estate Mayote 93 2013 DAOU Estate Micho 91 2012 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 90 2013 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 90 2013 DAOU Reserve Zinfandel 92 2013 DAOU Reserve Aux 93 2013 DAOU Reserve 1740 93 2013 DAOU Celestus 91 2012 DAOU Unbound 95 2013 Chemin de Fleurs 95 2014 Chemin de Fleurs 91 2014 Grenache Blanc
2 7 7 7 H I D D E N M O U N TA I N R O A D , PA S O R O B L E S , C A L I F O R N I A 9 3 4 4 6 805.226.5460 DAOUVINEYARDS.COM VISIT@DAOUVINEYARDS.COM
The Judgment of Paso
96pts $125
The Tasting
93pts $85
100pts $354
99pts $550
95+pts $200
98pts $600
95+pts $300
Dominus
Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon RBS
Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon CCS
Chappellet Prtichard Hill
Scarecrow
Hundred Acre
DAOU Soul of a Lion
Patrimony
98pts $275
DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate affirmed a new era for the Adelaida District of Paso Robles.
95+pts $200
In a blind tasting, renowned Wine Advocate critic Jeb Dunnuck pitted five of Napa’s most iconic wineries against outsider DAOU Vineyards & Winery from the Adelaida District.
The Wines
Six Napa cult Cabernets were tasted—all rated 95+ or more with three in the 98 to 100 range—along with three DAOU wines: Patrimony, Soul of a Lion and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Results
The DAOU wines stood tall on rarified ground. Dunnuck wrote, “I’m thrilled to report that all three DAOU wines showed beautifully…In short, these are beautiful wines that readers shouldn’t miss.” Of
DAOU’s 2013 Patrimony, Dunnuck declared, “It’s the finest 100% Cabernet Sauvignon I've tasted from Paso Robles and it will stand toe-to-toe with the best coming out of Napa.”
“This was a massive tasting with brothers Daniel and Georges Daou, who have a large estate located high up off of Adelaida Road. While they release a terrific Syrah blend, their focus is on Bordeaux varieties...they
make the finest Bordeaux blends from Paso Robles. To give some perspective on how good these wines are, I did a blind tasting of top 2012s and 2013s from Napa with three wines from Daou, their Patrimony, Soul of
a Lion and Estate Cabernet. I’m thrilled to report that all three Daou wines showed beautifully. My scores/ ranking from the blind tasting were 2012 Hundred Acres (100 points), 2013 Scarecrow (99 points), 2013 Daou Patrimony (98 points), 2012 Schrader CCS (98 points), 2013 Daou Soul Of A Lion (96 points), 2012
Dominus (95+ points), 2012 Schrader RBS (95+ points), 2012 Chappellet Pritchard Hill (95+ points), 2013
Daou Estate Cabernet (93 points). In short, these are beautiful wines that readers shouldn’t miss.”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
“These ratings signal a new benchmark for Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, and they are ultimately a shot across the bow.”” — G E O RG ES J. DAO U, Proprietor
“The Adelaida District is no longer a proving ground - it is now a proven contender for the finest Cabernets in Califonia.” — DA N I EL J. DAO U, Co-Proprietor /Winemaker
Reserve
COLLECTION
EST. 2 0 0 7
Reserve
CHARDONNAY THE WINE | This rich and voluptuous wine offers aromas of lemon, peach, vanilla and toasty oak. Floral and spicy notes of honeysuckle, star jasmine, nutmeg and almond follow. Lush, weighty, and mouth-
filling on the palate. A silky smooth texture delivers flavors of pineapple, lemon cream pie, honeydew melon and
sweet ginger. Secondary layers reveal hints of toffee, hazelnut and toast. The finish is graceful and elegant, with essences of papaya and spiced apple, and a perfect crispness at the end.
THE VINTAGE |
The 2014 vintage was the driest years on record on our mountain. The lack of
water caused early bud break, as well as smaller clusters and berries known for making wines with intense flavors
and concentrated dark fruit. Spring was cooler than normal with only two days reaching 100 degrees by July. A light drizzle brought some moisture to the vines in August and gave the vines a little humidity to keep them
going. Despite the severe drought, the entire mountain was either dry farmed or defcit irrigated by receiving one
or two watering cycles in August. The month of August tends to define tannin quality on DAOU mountain and
we could not have wished for a better August: Temperatures were often in the 70’s which allowed us to have
more hang time on the vines and gave us a chance to craft wines that had the perfect tannin structure. Harvest started earlier than normal and most of the mountain was harvested before several heat waves hit in the month
of September. Called by Daniel Daou the “vintage of his career”, the 2014 vintage has allowed us to craft unique
wines that showcase the potential of DAOU Mountain. Because we were able to achieve perfect ripeness, the wines will approachable be early yet mature nicely for years to come.
DAOU VINEYARDS & WINERY |
Family owned and operated, DAOU
Vineyards & Winery is committed to producing collectible, world-class wines to rival the most respected
appellations in the world. DAOU Mountain’s combination of remarkable geology, microclimate, a 2,200-foot
elevation, and steep slopes gives it a terroir described as “a jewel of ecological elements.” As stewards of this beautiful terroir, our goal is to make fine wines that honestly and accurately reflect the potential of the estate.
Varietal(s) | 100% Chardonnay Barrel Aging | 10 months in 50% new French oak Alcohol | 14.1%
2014
Reserve
CABERNET SAUVIGNON THE WINE |
This full-bodied and rich wine displays aromas of jasmine and violets. Supple, yet
concentrated, it offers impressive blue and black fruits, graphite, ash, and crushed rock-like Minerality. The texture is seamless and accompanied by plum, black currant, and blueberry flavors with hints of vanilla and pipe tobacco. The long finish resonates with notes of rich chocolate. This is one powerful wine that will keep evolving for many years to come.
DAOU VINEYARDS & WINERY |
Family owned and operated, DAOU
Vineyards & Winery is committed to producing collectible, world-class wines to rival the most respected
appellations in the world. DAOU Mountain’s combination of remarkable geology, microclimate, a 2,200-foot
elevation, and steep slopes gives it a terroir described as “a jewel of ecological elements.” As stewards of this beautiful terroir, our goal is to make fine wines that honestly and accurately reflect the potential of the estate.
ACCOLADES |
92+, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) is deep, nicely concentrated and fullbodied, with beautiful freshness and focus in its cassis, black currants, damp earth and chocolate aromas and flavors. It's currently more tight and reserved than the straight Cabernet release and will be better in another year or two.
Varietal(s) |
100 % Cabernet Sauvignon
Barrel Aging | Alcohol |
18 months in 80% new French oak
14.5%
2013
ESTATE COLLECTION
EST 2 0 0 7
ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON APPELLATION Adelaida District, Paso Robles
THE WINE |
This powerful yet elegant wine displays heady aromatics of black
raspberry and cassis fruits, toasted bread, Vanilla bean and hints of licorice. Full bodied with
a perfect and seamless integration of tannins, this wine is broad on palate with a long finish
that is every expansive. The integration of the fruit, the tannins and the acidity shows the harmony present in this beautiful nectar. The experience is never disconnected and carries beautiful symmetry from the moment the wine hits your palate until long after. A well-built Cabernet Sauvignon showing ideal varietal character and what can be accomplished on DAOU Mountain in a blockbuster vintage.
DAOU VINEYARDS & WINERY | Family owned and operated,
DAOU Vineyards & Winery is committed to producing collectible, world-class wines to rival
the most respected appellations in the world. DAOU Mountain’s combination of remarkable geology, microclimate, a 2,200-foot elevation, and steep slopes gives it a terroir described as “a jewel of ecological elements.” As stewards of this beautiful terroir, our goal is to make fine wines that honestly and accurately reflect the potential of the estate.
ACCOLADES |
94, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
A big step up is the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which is 100% varietal and sees 20
months in new French oak. Its 14.7% alcohol isn't noticeable in the least and it's a rich, fullbodied, concentrated Cabernet that gives up notions of creme de cassis, licorice, sweet oak
and smoked herbs. Layered, sexy and voluptuous, with a great finish, drink it anytime over the coming decade or so.
Varietal(s) | 100 % Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Aging | 20 months in 80% new French oak Alcohol | 14.7%
2014
ESTATE
SOUL OF A LION THE WINE |
Thee 2014 DAOU Estate Soul of a Lion shows beautiful depth of
color. This inky purple wine is loaded with aromas of plums, crème de cassis, garrigue and exotic flowers. On the palate, the wine is layered with velvety tannins and shows a unique elegance
while being accompanied by extreme intensity and power. Nuanced vanilla bean, toasted spice, graphite, licorice and lead pencil shaving like aromas round out the spectrum flavors. Insanely
concentrated, it has a gorgeous harmonious length that extends into a seamless finish which
lingers on the senses. Armed with a great tannin structure, it will certainly benefit from laying down for several years.
THE VINTAGE |
The 2014 vintage was the driest years on record on our
mountain. The lack of water caused early bud break, as well as smaller clusters and berries known
for making wines with intense flavors and concentrated dark fruit. Spring was cooler than normal with only two days reaching 100 degrees by July. A light drizzle brought some moisture to the vines in August and gave the vines a little humidity to keep them going. Despite the severe drought,
the entire mountain was either dry farmed or deficit irrigated by receiving one or two watering
cycles in August. The month of August tends to define tannin quality on DAOU mountain and
we could not have wished for a better August: Temperatures were often in the 70’s which allowed us to have more hang time on the vines and gave us a chance to craft wines that had the perfect
tannin structure. Harvest started earlier than normal and most of the mountain was harvested before several heat waves hit in the month of September. Called by Daniel Daou the “vintage of
his career”, the 2014 vintage has allowed us to craft unique wines that showcase the potential of DAOU Mountain. Because we were able to achieve perfect ripeness in the vineyard, the wines will approachable early yet mature nicely for years to come.
DAOU VINEYARDS & WINERY | Family owned and operated,
DAOU Vineyards & Winery is committed to producing collectible, world-class wines to rival
the most respected appellations in the world. DAOU Mountain’s combination of remarkable geology, microclimate, a 2,200-foot elevation, and steep slopes gives it a terroir described as “a jewel of ecological elements.” As stewards of this beautiful terroir, our goal is to make fine wines that honestly and accurately reflect the potential of the estate.
ACCOLADES | 94 - 96 + points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Varietal(s) | 83 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot Barrel Aging | 22 months in 100% new French oak Sizes Available | 750 ml, 3L, 6L
2014
The new frontier for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Adelaida District, Paso Robles
805.226.5460
DAOUVINEYARDS.COM