‘No expense is spared at Daou.’ Paso winery scores big in Wine Advocate
A Paso Robles winery has once again captured the attention of Robert Parker’s influential Wine Advocate publication.
Daou Vineyards & Winery earned high praise and high ratings for 29 of Daou’s wines, which each earned scores of 91 or above.The publication advertises itself as “the world’s most trusted authority in wine.”
This time, certified sommelier Erin Brooks had high praise and high ratings for 29 of Daou’s wines, which each earned scores of 91 or above.
“In pursuit of excellence, no expense is spared at Daou,” Brooks writes in her Wine Advocate article, published in January. “Think of it like a Michelin three-star restaurant: No detail goes unnoticed and no shortcuts are taken.”
She also waxes poetic about Daou co-proprietor and winemaker Daniel Daou, calling him “meticulous in the vineyard, winery and cellar.”
In addition to Daou Vineyards & Winery in the Adelaida region of Paso Robles, the expanding commercial empire of brothers Georges and Daniel Daou includes a future Daou Ocean project in Cambria and the renovation of the nearly century-old Bank of Italy building in downtown Paso Robles.
On Saturday, the Daous opened Daou Lounge, a pop-up tasting room inside McCoy Station at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.
Daou Vineyards & Winery appeared in The Wine Advocate in 2016, when it garnered praise for its Bourdeaux varieties. The publication advertises itself as “the world’s most trusted authority in wine.”
Daou winery scores in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Parker is well known for his 100-point scoring system for wines, first introduced in September 1978. Scores of 95 or above are cause for celebration for winemakers
Brooks’ reviews of 29 Daou wines produced 20 scores of 95 or above, with all others in the range of 91 to 94. She awarded scores of 96 to 98+ to the winery’s pricey Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon and Patrimony Cabernet Franc for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 vintages.
“Tasting through three vintages at Daou, what stands out is the consistency of excellence across vintages and cuvées,” Brooks writes. “Across the board, the wines display incredibly plush textures. Flavors are layered, and oak usage is integrated and classy.”
In 2016, Wine Advocate reviewer Jeb Dunnuck gave Daou’s 2013 Patrimony a rating of 98, calling it the finest 100% cab he’d tasted from Paso Robles and noting that the wine would “stand toe-to-toe with the best coming out of Napa.”
Daou Vineyards and Winery has continued to garner nationwide attention in recent years.
In May 2019, Forbes magazine cited Daou as one of four “essential stops” for wine lovers in Paso Robles’ Adelaida region.
That same month, Robb Report mentioned Daou in its praise for Paso Robles as “one of the state’s best sources for Bordeaux-style wine,” and Wine Spectator magazine namechecked the winery in an article showcasing Paso Robles as “one of the most exciting places” for California wine.
For more information about Daou Vineyards and Winery, call 805-226-5460 or visit daouvineyards.com.