Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Ripe and sweet fruit aromas of apples, limes and green papaya with some vanilla. Some caramel undertones. Full-bodied, yet tight and compact palate. Flavorful finish. It opens nicely on the finish with lots of wood, vanilla, toffee and ripe-apple flavors. Drink or hold.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Daou’s rich and outgoing 2019 Reserve Chardonnay immediately impresses with its aromatic breadth and depth and needs no coaxing to reveal layer upon layer of ripe apples, peaches and lovely, toasted brioche sweetness. Running true to its nose with respect to layered richness and fruity largesse on the palate yet beautifully proportioned and just as well-balanced as it is rich, this is a wholly satisfying wine at the moment, its tender age notwithstanding. We would not argue with those who choose to enjoy it in short order, but it is destined to age famously and in no way demands hasty drinking
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2019 DAOU Reserve Chardonnay delivers nicely on the palate and finishes with a bright zing in its finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows ripe apple and oak in its aromas and flavors. Enjoy it with shellfish in cream sauces. (Tasted: December 18, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
Brothers Georges Daou and Daniel Daou set forth across the globe 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. DAOU Family Estates is a family owned and operated winery committed to producing collectible, world-class wine to rival the most respected appellations. Situated on a 212-acre hilltop estate in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, this remarkable mountain was once described by André Tchelistcheff, legendary winemaking authority, as “a jewel of ecological elements.”
DAOU Mountain stands alone at an elevation of 2,200 feet, rising from the heart of the Adelaida District in the rugged coastal range west of Paso Robles. The steep slopes here reach up to 56 percent, with uniform exposure to the elements across the estate. It is a terroir of power, purity and symmetry, with every natural asset necessary to pursue the perfect Cabernet Sauvignon—including calcareous clay soils that emulate Bordeaux’s Right Bank and a climate that mirrors St. Helena.
There is a power within this Mountain they call home. It is a power that can turn mere raindrops and roots into extraordinary wines—and into lasting relationships—that will endure for decades. Everyday the winery strives to create an experience as beautiful as these wines, ensuring that everyone feels like family. There is nothing more important than human connection.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Growing on high elevation bedrock slopes, the vineyards of Paso Robles Willow Creek AVA sit at between 960 and 1,900 feet in elevation.