Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This entry-level Cabernet Sauvignon is the only Cabernet in the Daou portfolio made entirely of purchased fruit and is intended to be drunk young. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged 11 months in 60% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple, it opens with pure crème de cassis and meaty touches, slow to unfurl, over pure blackberries, cedar and dried thyme. Medium to full-bodied, it explodes with flavor in the mouth, purely defined but very ripe, with a very finely grained frame and a youthful cloaking of new oak, finishing long, fresh and classy.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Checking in at 13.9% natural alcohol, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is outstanding, with a forward, charming yet also structured style. Classy notes of cassis, currants, and violets all emerge from the glass, and it’s already drinking beautifully.
As Paso Robles, California has soared in number of wineries and gained in popularity, Cabernet Sauvignon has firmly taken root as the region’s number one varietal. Alone, it accounts for just over 40% of plantings and is grown throughout both the western and eastern sides of the appellation. Though viticulture here dates back to the 18th century, Cabernet Sauvignon didn’t emerge as a significant grape here until the 1970’s. But since then it has definitely made up for lost time.
Legendary winemaker and consultant Andre Tchelistcheff first recognized Paso’s potential with Cabernet Sauvignon in the early 1960’s. The calcareous soil and dramatic diurnal temperature changes of Paso’s westside particularly intrigued him. Today modern winemaking techniques and focused experimentation with various clones, rootstocks and vineyard strategies optimize the region's ideal combination of soil and climate to deliver the best fruit possible.
The results are evident in the glass. Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon can be mesmerizing, with rich aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, black cherry, graphite, toasty oak, vanilla and spice. The structure, balance and unbridled opulence of these wines impress from first sip to last. Not surprisingly, Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons have steadily grown in reputation, not just in the U.S., but around the world.