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 authority
2,200 feet above sea level, rising from the heart of the Adelaida
André Tchelistcheff stood on the slopes of what would become
District. It is a terroir of power, purity and symmetry, with
known as DAOU Mountain, speaking of great things to come from
every natural asset necessary to pursue the perfect Cabernet
the surrounding Adelaida area in the rugged coastal range west of Paso
Sauvignon—including calcareous clay soils that evoke
Robles on California’s Central Coast. That moment has now arrived, as
Bordeaux’s Right Bank and a climate that closely corresponds
the Adelaida District—one of 11 sub-appellations of Paso Robles—is
to St. Helena. The wines are never acidified, as the optimal
today regarded as the next frontier for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon.
level of acidity is achieved organically. Additionally, the
DAOU MOUNTAIN STANDS ALONE at an elevation of
phenolics produced on the mountain are uniquely high, 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 3,630 vines per acre Planted to Bordeaux varieties, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon Top Cabernet Sauvignon clones, including California heritage clones
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. DAOU subscribes to true dry farming where possible,
Daniel Daou employs cutting-edge technologies for
and deficit irrigation when needed—an approach
testing wine phenolics during fermentation, enabling
that maximizes fruit intensity while conserving a
him to precisely meet his vision for each wine’s color,
precious resource.
mouthfeel and tannin profile.
Daniel Daou collects intensive daily data—through
Daniel Daou supervises the coopering of his own
both manual field measurement and wireless sensor
proprietary French oak barrels. The DAOU 5-Year is
technology—to cultivate an optimal vine growth ratio
made from a rare fine-grain pink oak known as bois
during the crucial early days of the growing season.
rosé, which imparts an array of complex yet subtle flavors
DAOU Estate wines are made with the proprietary “D20”
to the DAOU Soul of a Lion. The DAOU Hybrid is
yeast cultured from DAOU Mountain, which is prized for
composed of oak from the Tronçais and Jupille forests,
its remarkable ability to maintain acidity; extract color;
and is designed specifically for maturing the DAOU
amplify flavor and texture; and produce lower alcohols.
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
ESTATE COLLECTION
RECENT ACCOLADES
DAOU ESTATE COLLECTION wines are
WINE ENTHUSIAST
made from the finest vineyard blocks on DAOU
96 points 2013 Estate Soul of a Lion 94 points 2013 Estate Mayote 94 points 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 92 points 2015 Reserve Chardonnay
Mountain. These wines showcase the visionary talent of Daniel Daou as a winemaker, and embody our mission to produce California “first growth” Cabernet Sauvignon.
WINE SPECTATOR 93 points 2014 Estate Soul of a Lion 90 points 2013 Estate Soul of a Lion 93 points 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
RESERVE COLLECTION
JEB DUNNUCK
DAOU RESERVE COLLECTION wines are made from premium fruit sourced from DAOU Mountain as well as select Paso Robles AVA vineyards, then blended to create stunningly harmonious offerings.
PASO ROBLES COLLECTION
95-97 points 2016 Estate Soul of a Lion 94-96 points 2015 Estate Soul of a Lion 97 points 2014 Estate Soul of a Lion 94-96 points 2016 Estate Mayote 93-95 points 2015 Estate Mayote 91-93 points 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 91+ points 2015 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 91 points 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points 2016 Pessimist 90 points 2015 Pessimist
DAOU PASO ROBLES COLLECTION wines
ROBERT PARKER’S WINE ADVOCATE
are hand-harvested from standout local vineyards
95-97 points 2016 Estate Soul of a Lion
and made using the same techniques and standards as our DAOU Reserve and DAOU Estate collections.
94-96 points 2016 Estate Soul of a Lion 94+ points 2015 Estate Soul of a Lion 95 points 2014 Estate Soul of a Lion 94-96 points 2017 Estate Mayote 93-95 points 2016 Estate Mayote 94 points 2015 Estate Mayote
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.
97 points 2014 Estate Mayote 92-94 points 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 91-93 points 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 91 points 2015 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 93 points 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon 92 points 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon 92 points 2016 Pessimist 90 points 2015 Pessimist 90 points 2014 Pessimist
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
Item
Unit of Measure
DAOU 2016 Estate Soul Of A Lion - 750 ml
6 pack
DAOU 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - 750 ml
6 pack
DAOU 2017 Estate Sauvignon Blanc - 750 ml
6 pack
Please Inquire for Current Pricing and Availability
ESTATE
SOUL OF A LION THE WINE |
The 2015 Soul of a Lion is a beautifully concentrated wine accompanied
by tremendous elegance that incorporates some old world flavors due to the vintage’s characteristics.
Endowed with beautiful purity and texture, it has all the standard classic Cabernet Sauvignon flavors that include Graphite, Lead Pencil Shavings, Blackcurrants and Ash. The higher percentage of Cabernet
Franc in this vintage gives it a beautiful aroma and an additional elegant component that rounds it up for a very long finish. Drinking surprising well today, we expect it to shut down shortly for a few years just to be re-awakened for long term cellaring.
THE VINTAGE |
The season started out on track with a warmer month of March and
April. Bud break started early march and the soils benefited from a little more rain than the previous few
years. May brought very cold temperatures to the mountain and strong winds which resulted in severe shatter. As a result of this, yields were 50% or more down from normal. At last, heat finally arrived early June which allowed the small crop to ripen beautifully and on time by early September. 2015 did not
see many heat spikes during the vintage and was a cooler vintage than normal. Because of the low yield, flavors are intense and balanced and tannins are very well integrated.
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 |
92-94 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate;
94-96 points, Jeb Dunnuck
VARIETALS | 76 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 11% Petit Verdot BARREL AGING | 22 months in 100% new French oak ALCOHOL | 14.7%
2015
ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON THE WINE |
Our 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the characteristics
of a spectacular vintage accompanied by our distinctive DAOU Mountain pedigree, and delivers a stunning experience. Full bodied with Deep Garnet-purple color, it displays a great bouquet of Blackberries, cooked blueberries, dark chocolate and a hint of wild mushrooms. On
the palate, there is tremendous balance of acidity and tannins accompanied by notions of crème
de Cassis, licorice and Ash. A wine with tremendous structure, it is built to provide tremendous pleasure upon release but will reward you with many years of bottle age.
THE VINTAGE |
If there was ever a perfect vintage, 2016 would be it. Bud
break started early March and the warmth set in very quickly. The onset of veraison came rapidly and earlier than normal because of a very warm June and July. There were a few scares because of the raging fires throughout the region but fortunately our grapes were not affected. In the month
of August, approximately one week away from harvest, very cold weather set in and the sugars stopped accumulating for several weeks allowing the perfect hang time to occur. The 2016 vintage allowed us to make our darkest, most concentrated wines yet. The longer hang time led to supple and very well integrated tannins. The 2016 wines will be long lived.
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 % Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Aging | 20 months in 80% new French oak Alcohol | 14.7%
2016
ESTATE
SAUVIGNON BLANC THE WINE |
The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc is the most aromatic wine made yet on
DAOU Mountain. The combination of Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of Sémillon work in harmony to provide a great deal of pleasure on the palate. The chalky soils of our terroir give
this wine loads of minerality on the palate while aromas of stone fruits and citrus blossom
travel through the glass to enrich your nose. Concentrated and full bodied, this wine remains balanced and provides for the full experience with a lengthy finish that does not stop.
THE VINTAGE |
The 2017 growing season was preceded by one of the wettest
winters in recent memory, with nearly 35 inches of rain recorded on DAOU Mountain. The vines were energized by the much-needed moisture, setting one of our best crops yet. The weather
remained steady from spring through mid-summer. However, a heat wave descended upon California during the third week of August. Many vintners chose to harvest immediately, but we made the brave decision to allow the fruit to hang. As we suspected, a cooling trend snapped
the heat wave ensuring that the fruit achieved optimal ripeness. The result was our latest harvest ever on the mountain, reaching all the way into the third week of October. The long hang time
yielded the deepest color and concentration we have seen from our estate. The tannins are silky and beautifully integrated. We feel that the 2017 wines will rival the best ever from DAOU Mountain.
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.
VARIETALS | 81% Sauvignon Blanc, 19% Sémillon BARREL AGING | 7 months in 50% new French oak ALCOHOL | 14.5%
2017
The new frontier for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Adelaida District, Paso Robles
805.226.5460
DAOUVINEYARDS.COM