- About This Wine
- Ratings & Reviews
- Tasting Notes
About This Wine
Ratings & Reviews
Tasting Notes
ABOUT THIS WINE
REVIEWS
WINEMAKER NOTES
The 2023 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon represents a focused expression of Paso Robles, drawing from the estate’s renowned Adelaida District vineyards on the western edge of the appellation. Planted at high elevations and rooted in calcareous, limestone-rich soils, these sites benefit from pronounced diurnal temperature shifts that allow Cabernet Sauvignon to achieve full phenolic ripeness while retaining freshness and structure. This combination of warm days, cool nights, and meticulous vineyard management has become a defining signature of DAOU’s Reserve bottlings.
Paso Robles continues to establish itself as one of California’s most dynamic Cabernet Sauvignon regions, and DAOU has played a central role in shaping that reputation. The 2023 vintage reflects a growing season marked by balanced conditions that favored slow, even ripening and flavor development without excess. As a result, this wine captures both the generosity associated with Paso Robles and a level of restraint more often found in top tier hillside Cabernet sites.
In the glass, the wine delivers a sense of scale and intent rather than sheer opulence. The palate is structured and layered, built around ripe black fruit, firm yet refined tannins, and a backbone of natural acidity that speaks to the estate’s elevated vineyard sources. Oak is used as a framing element rather than a focal point, supporting the wine’s architecture and enhancing its age worthiness. The overall impression is one of polish, depth, and clarity, emphasizing structure and balance over excess.
What sets the DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon apart is its consistency and its ability to translate site into a reliable, collector friendly expression year after year. The Adelaida District’s rocky soils and hillside exposures contribute to the wine’s density and grip, while careful blending ensures harmony and approachability. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon designed to appeal to both seasoned collectors and newer buyers seeking a serious Paso Robles wine with pedigree.
As a cellar candidate, the 2023 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon offers strong aging potential over the next 8 to 12 years, gaining complexity while maintaining its core fruit and structural integrity. It stands as a confident statement of Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, delivering appellation character, vintage authenticity, and Reserve level ambition in a package that consistently overdelivers.
Paso Robles continues to establish itself as one of California’s most dynamic Cabernet Sauvignon regions, and DAOU has played a central role in shaping that reputation. The 2023 vintage reflects a growing season marked by balanced conditions that favored slow, even ripening and flavor development without excess. As a result, this wine captures both the generosity associated with Paso Robles and a level of restraint more often found in top tier hillside Cabernet sites.
In the glass, the wine delivers a sense of scale and intent rather than sheer opulence. The palate is structured and layered, built around ripe black fruit, firm yet refined tannins, and a backbone of natural acidity that speaks to the estate’s elevated vineyard sources. Oak is used as a framing element rather than a focal point, supporting the wine’s architecture and enhancing its age worthiness. The overall impression is one of polish, depth, and clarity, emphasizing structure and balance over excess.
What sets the DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon apart is its consistency and its ability to translate site into a reliable, collector friendly expression year after year. The Adelaida District’s rocky soils and hillside exposures contribute to the wine’s density and grip, while careful blending ensures harmony and approachability. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon designed to appeal to both seasoned collectors and newer buyers seeking a serious Paso Robles wine with pedigree.
As a cellar candidate, the 2023 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon offers strong aging potential over the next 8 to 12 years, gaining complexity while maintaining its core fruit and structural integrity. It stands as a confident statement of Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, delivering appellation character, vintage authenticity, and Reserve level ambition in a package that consistently overdelivers.
Socially Rated 4+ / 5 ⭐
A heady nose delivers fruit-forward aromas of blackberry, raspberry and plum with traces of licorice, thyme, vanilla and cherry. The palate is beautifully balanced, showing layers of black fruit and chocolate-covered blueberry with underlying herbal, cedar and mineral complexity. Exquisitely rounded tannins imbue the finish with stature and length.