DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2021

Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving. Brothers Georges and Daniel Daou founded their winery over a decade ago after searching for top quality land in Napa and discovering that actually Paso Robles had everything they needed. The ambitious duo strive to craft Bordeaux-style wines with a New World vibrancy and expressiveness. This corner of Paso Robles is a perfect fit for that mission thanks to the Napa-like climate and soils which are rich in limestone like many of France’s top vineyards. The DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is made with top quality grapes sourced from the brothers’ vineyards which sit at 2200 feet of altitude. This elevation helps to preserve balancing freshness in the finished wines as well as ensuring the development of intense, concentrated flavours and aromas. Following the fermentation process the wine is aged in 80% new French oak barrels for 18 months to allow the wine to mature and add extra complexity. This stunning wine opens with cassis, blackberry and dark cherry aromas along with hints of sweet spice and dark chocolate. The first sip reveals complex layers of flavour which slowly unfold in the mouth, moving from crushed ripe berries and currant jam to deep herbal and earthy tones. On the palate there is a smooth mouthfeel, well-defined structure and firm tannins which will soften with a few years of cellaring.

Price: £54.41 from 8wines UK