Daou Winery: Terroir, Wine Styles, 8 Best Wines, Prices (2024)

Daou Vineyards earned a cult following (within a decade of its founding) for its phenomenal wines that compete with top Napa Valley brands. 

29 Daou wines were rated 91 and above by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate in 2020. These California wines have also won great accolades from prominent critics like Jeb Dunnuck.

In this article, explore the Daou winery in detail - its inspiring history, unique vineyard culture, and advanced viticultural practice. Also uncover the best Daou wines in 2024, and how to invest in them easily.

A Quick Introduction To Daou Winery

The Daou Vineyards and Winery enjoys a spectacular setting in the hills of Adelaida district in the San Luis Obispo county on the west side of Paso Robles. This Paso winery is owned and operated by the Daou family.

Daou winery primarily produces brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon wines - a range of single varietal wines and Bordeaux style blends. They’re made from the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

These grapes benefit from the unrivaled terroir of the Daou mountain, a stunning promontory at an elevation of over 2,000 feet in the Adelaide district of California.

If you’re visiting Paso Robles, don’t forget to book a wine tasting experience in the indoor tasting room of the Daou family estate. Unwind in the tasting room sipping delicious wines paired with cheese and nibbles from a charcuterie board! 

You can book a wine tasting at the Daou family estate through daouvineyards.com.

After a soul-filling tasting in the Daou tasting room, take a trip through the beautiful Daou Mountain and Daou Ocean in Cambria. 

Let’s find out more about the origins of this sprawling estate.

A Brief History Of Daou Winery

The rural life of Beirut fascinated the Lebanon-born Daou brothers - Georges and Daniel Daou.

But the Lebanese civil war forced the Daou family to settle in Cannes in southern France. Life amidst the French vineyard fields made the Daou brothers fall in love with the fascinating world of wine!

After graduation, Georges Daou founded Daou Systems Inc, a networking technology company, and Daniel joined his brother in his venture.

As the firm became one of the largest IPOs in the late 1990s, the brothers Georges and Daniel couldn’t help but dream about the exceptional French vineyard plots. The Daou brothers took a bold decision and sold the company in 1998 to pursue their winemaking dream.

While Daniel focused on winemaking, the proprietor Georges Daou worked on establishing a wine business in California. 

They established the Daou winery in 2007 by purchasing the Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard and winery situated on the Hidden Mountain Road in Paso Robles, California.

The Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard was renamed Daou Mountain, and the Daou family completely restored this Paso winery, producing unrivaled Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux-style wines.

The Daou brothers are also remodeling the Daou Ocean property - a local treasure for wine, food, and art lovers.

A Brief History Of Daou Winery

The rural life of Beirut fascinated the Lebanon-born Daou brothers - Georges and Daniel Daou.

But the Lebanese civil war forced the Daou family to settle in Cannes in southern France. Life amidst the French vineyard fields made the Daou brothers fall in love with the fascinating world of wine!

After graduation, Georges Daou founded Daou Systems Inc, a networking technology company, and Daniel joined his brother in his venture.

As the firm became one of the largest IPOs in the late 1990s, the brothers Georges and Daniel couldn’t help but dream about the exceptional French vineyard plots. The Daou brothers took a bold decision and sold the company in 1998 to pursue their winemaking dream.

While Daniel focused on winemaking, the proprietor Georges Daou worked on establishing a wine business in California. 

They established the Daou winery in 2007 by purchasing the Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard and winery situated on the Hidden Mountain Road in Paso Robles, California.

The Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard was renamed Daou Mountain, and the Daou family completely restored this Paso winery, producing unrivaled Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux-style wines.

The Daou brothers are also remodeling the Daou Ocean property - a local treasure for wine, food, and art lovers.

A Brief History Of Daou Winery

The rural life of Beirut fascinated the Lebanon-born Daou brothers - Georges and Daniel Daou.

But the Lebanese civil war forced the Daou family to settle in Cannes in southern France. Life amidst the French vineyard fields made the Daou brothers fall in love with the fascinating world of wine!

After graduation, Georges Daou founded Daou Systems Inc, a networking technology company, and Daniel joined his brother in his venture.

As the firm became one of the largest IPOs in the late 1990s, the brothers Georges and Daniel couldn’t help but dream about the exceptional French vineyard plots. The Daou brothers took a bold decision and sold the company in 1998 to pursue their winemaking dream.

While Daniel focused on winemaking, the proprietor Georges Daou worked on establishing a wine business in California. 

They established the Daou winery in 2007 by purchasing the Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard and winery situated on the Hidden Mountain Road in Paso Robles, California.

The Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard was renamed Daou Mountain, and the Daou family completely restored this Paso winery, producing unrivaled Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux-style wines.

The Daou brothers are also remodeling the Daou Ocean property - a local treasure for wine, food, and art lovers.

A Brief History Of Daou Winery

The rural life of Beirut fascinated the Lebanon-born Daou brothers - Georges and Daniel Daou.

But the Lebanese civil war forced the Daou family to settle in Cannes in southern France. Life amidst the French vineyard fields made the Daou brothers fall in love with the fascinating world of wine!

After graduation, Georges Daou founded Daou Systems Inc, a networking technology company, and Daniel joined his brother in his venture.

As the firm became one of the largest IPOs in the late 1990s, the brothers Georges and Daniel couldn’t help but dream about the exceptional French vineyard plots. The Daou brothers took a bold decision and sold the company in 1998 to pursue their winemaking dream.

While Daniel focused on winemaking, the proprietor Georges Daou worked on establishing a wine business in California. 

They established the Daou winery in 2007 by purchasing the Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard and winery situated on the Hidden Mountain Road in Paso Robles, California.

The Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard was renamed Daou Mountain, and the Daou family completely restored this Paso winery, producing unrivaled Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux-style wines.

The Daou brothers are also remodeling the Daou Ocean property - a local treasure for wine, food, and art lovers.

The Outstanding Terroir Of The Daou Mountain

Situated at the stunning promontory in Paso Robles, the Daou Mountain is known as “a jewel of ecological elements.”

The superlative climate of the Daou Mountain is complemented by the rare calcareous clay soil - the signature soils of Saint-Émilion and the right bank of Bordeaux. 

The clay soils of the mountain have calcareous and limestone subsoils, giving the Bordeaux varieties exceptional phenolics, intense notes, and deep colors.

The mountain experiences warm days and cool nights (thanks to the cool breeze from the Pacific ocean.) The emerald green vines are exposed to the sun all day long, resulting in an even ripening of grapes every year.

Besides the superlative climate, the unique viticultural practice of the winemaker Daniel Daou also helps the fruit gain its best flavors:

• Maintaining the vine density to 2,200 to 2,500 vines per acre.
• The emerald green vines are hand-pruned to reduce yields and produce concentrated fruit.
• During spring and summer, the winemaker discards a few ripening grapes to limit the vine yield to 10-12 clusters.
• During harvest, the grapes are handpicked at night when the microflora of the mountain is not active. This prevents any complications during winemaking.

Besides the super intensive vineyard culture, Daou also follows a unique winemaking process to help the fruit express its best flavors.

The Winemaking Techniques Of Daou Winery

Here’s a quick rundown of the Daou winemaking process:

• Once the grapes from the Mountain reach the winery, they’re cleaned and the unripe fruits are removed. The grapes are then destemmed and receive another round of hand sorting.
• For red wines, the winemaker Daniel Daou performs a “cold soak” - the process of allowing the grape juice to mix with skins for extracting color and tannins.
• Afterwards, the wine is fermented using the Daou Mountain yeast until it is considered dry.
• The winemaker then transfers the wine to barrels, where it undergoes malolactic fermentation.
• Finally, the wine is moved to barrels, where it ages for 18 to 31 months before being bottled.

The Exotic Wines Of Daou

The Daou winery produces a range of great wines divided into these wine collections (based on pricing and amount of aging in new French oak barrels.)

1. The Estate Collection

The Estate collection is Daou’s premium collection made from estate-grown grapes. It comprises some of the richest wines showcasing complex flavors and the unique Paso Robles terroir. Its terroir-driven varietal wines include Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Chardonnay, and Estate Sauvignon Blanc.

The Estate collection blends include:

• Estate Micho: A blend of Cabernet and Merlot
• Estate Mayote: A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot.
• Estate Cuvee Lizzy: A Bordeaux-style blend

2. The Discovery Collection

Discovery presents five delicious wines - four single varietal wines and a rose wine made from a Southern Rhone red blend.

The four luscious varietals are:

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Daou Pinot Noir
• Daou Discovery Cabernet Sauvignon
• Daou Discovery Chardonnay

3. The Expressions Collection

The Expressions collection comprises two rich and flavorful red wines made from rare red blends. These wines are:

• Bodyguard (59% Petit Verdot and 41% Petit Sirah)
• Pessimist (62% Petite Sirah, 20% Zinfandel, 16% Syrah, and 2% Lagrein)

4. The Reserve Collection

The Reserve collection comprises some of the finest barrel-aged Daou wines. Each wine (varietal or blend) is made from French grape varieties that express the unrivaled terroir of Paso Robles - both from the estate’s vineyards and others.

It has two luscious varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

The Reserve blended wines are:

• Eye Of The Falcon: A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Petit Verdot
• Unbound: A blend of 52% Petite Sirah, 36% Tannat, and 12% Tempranillo
• Reserve Seventeen Forty: A blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot
• Chemin de Fleurs: A blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Viognier

The Reserve collection also comprises a rose wine inspired by Southern France roses.

Looking for the perfect Daou wines for hosting a wine tasting?

8 Best Daou Wines To Buy In 2024 (Including Tasting Notes, Prices)

Here are our favorite Daou wines:

1. 2014 Daou Vineyards Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaida District

This unrivaled Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the brilliance of the vineyard fields of California. 

This Paso Robles wine delivers intense black currant and plum aromas with subtle mulberry, black cherry, cedar, and spice scents. On tasting, you’ll notice a rich palate with fine grainy tannins.

Price of 2014, Daou Vineyards Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaida District: $607

2. 2015 Daou Vineyards Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaida District

This Cabernet Sauvignon wine gives off spice-accented dark berry liqueur, black cherry, cured tobacco, cedary oak, vanilla aromas with smoke, and incense top notes.

If you’re looking for a great wine to brag about in a wine club - this is the one!

Price of 2015, Daou Vineyards Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaida District: $602

3. 2013 Daou Vineyards Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaida District

This Cabernet Sauvignon has layered aromas of lilacs, violets, vanilla, espresso, rooibos tea leaves, and cinnamon stick mingling with a core of blueberry compote and blackberry pie.

Price of 2013, Daou Vineyards Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaida District: $481

4. 2018 Daou Vineyards Patrimony Caves des Lions, Adelaida District

Dense aromas of crushed lilacs, chocolate chips, soy, and dark purple fruits dominate the nose. The wine is soft and supple and reveals blueberry, pepper, graphite, and candied fruit flavors on tasting. It tastes delicious with a charcuterie board!

Price of 2014, Daou Vineyards Patrimony Caves des Lions, Adelaida District: $298

5. 2017 Daou Vineyards Estate 'Mayote,’ Paso Robles

Another great wine by Daou, this 2017 Paso Robles vintage offers wild berries and spice aromas. The pure and elegant palate displays well-integrated tannins and a long finish on tasting.

Price of 2017, Daou Vineyards Estate 'Mayote', Paso Robles: $193

6. 2013 Daou Vineyards Estate 'Mayote,’ Paso Robles

This Daou wine has graphite and granite-like minerality synchronized with plum, blackberry, lead pencil, graphite, and peppery aromas. The full palate has loads of ripeness and chalky minerality.

Price of 2013, Daou Vineyards Estate 'Mayote', Paso Robles: $176

7. 2013 Daou Vineyards Estate Soul of a Lion Red, Paso Robles

The 2013 Soul of a Lion Paso Robles has nuanced vanilla bean, cedar forest floor, and spiced tobacco flavors. The palate reveals integrated tannins, bright acidity, and a seamless finish.

Price of 2013, Daou Vineyards Estate Soul of a Lion Red, Paso Robles: $172

8. 2014 Daou Vineyards Estate Soul of a Lion Red, Paso Robles

The 2014 Soul of a Lion Paso Robles has a gorgeous red and black currant nose with underlying earth, cinnamon stick, cigar box, cloves, and sautéed herb notes. The rich and concentrated palate has fine-grained tannins with a beautiful finesse.

Serve this wine with a charcuterie plate.

Price of 2014, Daou Vineyards Estate Soul of a Lion Red, Paso Robles: $159

Now let’s see if Daou wines work well as a long-term investment.

Should You Invest In Daou Wines?

The exceptional Daou Cabernet Sauvignon wines can age for 10 to 15 years. They reach peak maturity in 7-10 years and continue to bring pleasure to wine collectors even after 20 years in the bottle.

The complex flavors of these Daou wines express the brilliant terroir of Paso Robles - ensuring consistently impressive scores from acclaimed wine critics.

The 2017 Soul of a Lion scored a 97, while the 2017 Estate Mayote received a 96 from Robert Parker.

These wines show excellent price appreciation as well. The 2015 Daou Vineyards Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon rose by 40% from to $600 (2020 to 2021.) The 2017 Daou Vineyards Estate 'Mayote' grew by 39% from $136 to $190 during the same period.

Now:

The winery sells over 30,000 cases of wine a year.

But, how easy is it to buy one of these Daou winery bottles?

The majority of these bottles go to the winery members who are intimated first about new releases and tastings. So, if you’re not a member, it may not be easy to buy the premium bottles.

Here’s a smart option if you want to invest in Daou wines:

Invest In Wines From Daou And Other Prestigious Wineries Through Vinovest

Vinovestis an online wine investment company that helps you buy the most sought-after wines from the best wine brands from around the globe - be it from Napa Valley in California or Bordeaux in France.

Vinovest will also store your bottles and deliver them to you whenever you want.

The cherry on the cake?

Vinovest will also help you sell your wine bottle for a profit if that’s what you’d like.

How It Works

Here’s a simple guide to start investing with Vinovest:

• Sign upwith Vinovest
• Answer a short questionnaire to determine your investment preferences and risk appetite.
• Add a minimum of $1,000 to your account.
• Buy a fine Cabernet Franc and watch your wine investment portfolio grow!

Benefits of Investing through Vinovest

Take a look at why Vinovest is a great online wine investment partner.

1. Easy Buying and Selling 

Vinovest has an AI-based platform that lets you buy and sell the finest and rarest wines with only a few clicks - from the comfort of your home.

2. Best Prices

Vinovest sources your fine wine directly from winemakers, global wine exchanges, and trusted wine merchants at the best possible retail prices to make it easier on your wallet.

3. Curated Portfolio by an Expert Wine Advisory Team

The Master Sommeliers combine their expertise with quantitative investment models to curate your portfolio. They use proprietary financial models and historical data to ensure a balanced portfolio of high-performing Napa Valley and other leading wines for you. 

Also, Vinovest knows which wines command huge prices. So when there’s another record-breaking auction, you will reap the benefits.

4. Optimal Storage and Safety

Your Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and other fine wines are stored in bonded warehouses close to some of the world’s best wine regions. The warehouses maintain perfect light, temperature, vibration, and humidity conditions to ensure your wine receives the best care.

5. Comprehensive Insurance and Security

24/7 security cameras constantly monitor your wines. And, the power back-ups maintain perfect climate control in case the primary methods fail.

In addition, Vinovest offers a full-coverage insurance policy that protects each bottle against breakage, theft, and loss.

6. Low Overall Costs

Vinovest charges a 2.5% annual fee, which gets reduced to 1.9% when your portfolio balance exceeds $50,000. This includes wine buying, wine fraud detection, storage, insurance, and selling as well as active management of your portfolio.

7. Tax Advantages

Since your wines are stored in bonded warehouses that don’t charge any excise duty or VAT, you get significant tax advantages.

8. Easy Delivery

Want to drink your Napa wine or store it in your cellar?

Vinovest will handle the shipping and insurance and send it anywhere in the world - whether to central California, China or Chile!

Time to Build a Remarkable Wine Collection?

The hilltop Daou winery of the Paso Robles wine country not only has terrific views, but it also offers pure, terroir-driven wines that will make brilliant additions to your wine cellar.

Investing in its exceptional wines was never simpler - thanks to Vinovest. You can build an impressive wine portfolio with the help of its expert team.

So, why not sign up to buy wines from Daou and other world-class wineries now?