Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Rocky aromas meet with pure blackberry and other concentrated black fruits on the ripe but nowhere near sweet nose of this blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot. Lavish flavors of blackberry, lilac, caramel and crushed gravel show on the zesty palate, but the star of this bottling is the chalky, fine-tuned structure. Drink 2018–2028.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
56% Cabernet Franc; 44% Merlot. Sporting a cépage that recalls the St. Emilion bottlings of Bordeaux’s right bank, but positively brimming with the ripe, wonderfully concentrated fruit of its local home, this fleshy, full-bodied wine earns kudos for both its depth and abiding richness. Although in some ways quite showy now, it has a tremendous sense of reserve and untapped potential, and its combination of exemplary structure and brooding strength is sufficient assurance that, while it will be approachable in a half dozen or so years, it will continue to unfold and reveal more well into its second decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Still in barrel, the 2013 Seventeen Forty Reserve is close to an even split of Cabernet Franc and Merlot that will see 20 months in 70% new French oak. One of the more decadent releases from this team at 14.7 alcohol, it's a voluptuous and downright sexy effort that has full-bodied notes of tobacco leaf, dried violets, sweet oak and assorted dark fruits. Nicely focused and with tons of ripe tannin, it should impress with short-term cellaring and hold for a decade or more after that. Range: 91-93+ points.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
One of the most unique and special red wines from Paso Robles, the 2013 Daou Seventeen Forty Reserve excels in the style of Right Bank Bordeaux. Loaded with red currants and savory herbs, the wine stays bright and fine in its long and lively finish. Drinks nicely now. (Tasted: August 5, 2016, 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 world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.