Winemaker Notes
This wine displays a magnificent, compelling and inviting nose that is quintessential of Cabernet Sauvignon. Unrestrained wild cherry, currant and mulberry fragrances arise with pronounced notes of cocoa, coriander, and wintergreen. Sublayers of dried herbs, cedar, tobacco leaf and slate provide substantive foundation to the aromatic profile. On the palate a veritable explosion of fresh, ripe, dark berry fruits. Tangy blackberry, juicy black cherry, pomegranate and cranberry are mingled with lovely blueberry and raspberry accents, underscored with kirsch and rhubarb. Integrated nicely with toasty oak, graphite and forest floor. Full bodied and a very silky texture, this wine glides into a long, generous finish resonating with ripe fruit and exotic spice allowing an amazing aging capabilities.
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is made up of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 9% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc and was aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple in the glass, it has a spicy nose with aromas of cinnamon stick, baked marionberries, cedar, crème de cassis and pure baked blackberries with nuances of lilacs, pink peppercorn and charcuterie plus a classy framing of new oak. The palate is medium to full-bodied and slow to unfurl, eventually spreading its wings to explosive, savory-laced black fruits. Texturally, it's powerful but with finely dispersed, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and wonderfully layered.
Brilliant violet. Pungent, mineral-accented cassis, cherry preserve, floral and pipe tobacco scents pick up a sexy vanilla quality as the wine opens up. Shows impressive depth as well as energy on the palate, offering sweet dark berry, cherry-vanilla and floral pastille flavors that become spicier on the back half. Finishes with excellent clarity and solid dark-fruit thrust, displaying harmonious tannins and lingering floral, vanilla and chewing tobacco notes. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, half of them new.
Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that spent 20 months in 50% new French oak, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve boasts a deep purple color as well as more savory, complex notes than the base Cabernet Sauvignon, with terrific cassis and blackcurrant fruits, tobacco, chocolate, earth, and lead pencil nuances. Full-bodied and balanced, it’s a ripe, powerful wine that never puts a foot wrong.
In the golden, oak-studded hills of Paso Robles' fabled west side, not far from William Randolph Hearst's magnificent castle, there is a man with a Homeric vision. His name is Daniel Daou and he is devoting his life and every imaginable resource to creating, first and foremost, a Cabernet Sauvignon that rivals the very best in the world.
Gracefully perched atop a stunning promontory at 2,200 feet, the DAOU Spanish Colonial style winery is embraced by a tangible serenity. Hawks wheel and bank while the all-day sun caresses close planted rows of lush, emerald green vines. The 100 percent calcareous soil makes no sound as it passes out nourishment and only a gentle breeze flows up through the Templeton Gap from the Pacific. The quiet is bewitching; you want to lay down roots here, just as the four-year-old vines have done. But the sense of peace belies the serious industry at work on this 100 acre estate. No effort is spared to create the luscious varietals and blends that flow from this limited production winery. This kind of synergy happens rarely: superlative climate and terroir, super intensive vineyard culture, and cutting edge viticultural practice. You're more likely to find it in Bordeaux than Central California. Coupled with the infectious passion and gracious, family style hospitality of the Daou brothers, Georges and Daniel, the result is pure magic. The kind of magic that comes in a bottle.
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.
