Winemaker Notes
The rich yet elegant 2021 DAOU Reserve Chardonnay, blended from exemplary lots by Winemaker Daniel Daou, offers inviting aromas of lemon chiffon, ripe pineapple, hibiscus flower and white peach. Notes of piña colada and warm buttered toast are accented by touches of nutmeg and clove. The mouthfeel is succulent and lively, displaying generous flavors of Crenshaw melon, pineapple, sliced nectarine and vanilla bean. Impressions of hazelnut, Bosc pear and honey round out the mid palate, all leading to a crisp, clean finish that lingers with essences of citrus zest and star jasmine.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A deeply golden hue in the glass, this bottling hits the nose with hazelnut, wood spice and honey aromas. The palate us broad and rich with just enough tension to add balance, offering more hazelnut and baked apple flavors.
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.