Be Daring. Be Curious.
This wine belongs to DAOU’s Curious Collection, featuring three limited edition wines that reflect a spirit of experimentation and innovation under Winemaker Daniel Daou. Blend 49A takes an unconventional path to harmony with an eclectic cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Tannat, and Petite Sirah. This wine offers an opulent and inviting nose of plum, cocoa, kirsch, and black currant with a whisper of crème de menthe. Deeper layers reveal black olive, fennel, and desert sage highlighted by toasty oak. A plush, seamless texture delivers succulent flavors of Oregon blackberry, wild boysenberry, pomegranate, and cranberry. Suggestions of cardamom and crushed herbs add complementary spice accents to underlying black cherry and dark chocolate. A long, persistent finish replays cherry and plum notes with hints of sandalwood.
Family-owned and operated, DAOU Family Estates is committed to producing collectible, world-class wines to rival the most respected appellations in the world. Situated on a 212-acre hilltop Estate in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, our remarkable geology, favorable microclimate, and high elevation were once described by renowned California winemaker, André Tchelistcheff, as “a jewel of ecological elements.” As stewards of this beautiful terroir, DAOU’s goal is to make unique fine wines that honestly and accurately reflect the potential of the Estate and to craft Bordeaux-style wines that combine Old World tradition with New World techniques.
As young men, brothers Georges and Daniel Daou shared the same dream: to live a life in wine. Their dream prevailed years later when they discovered what would become known as DAOU Mountain, an untapped world-class terroir in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles.
Ever since, they have poured their souls into creating some of California’s most noteworthy wines while cultivating a guest experience to match. In the end, DAOU is about family - and the truth that nothing brings people together like wine.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Deep purple, almost black, slightly translucent garnet edges
nose:plum
Initial grape fruit bomb, juicy and sweeter than expected from the blend, lighter tart finish with some slight spice from the alcohol
Mah Wyfe: “This is SWEET! <shocked Pikachu face>
Raspberry
All I can think about is raspberry and a berry custard tart. Or creme brulee. The toasted sugar on a creme brulee and raspberry is all I smell (oh. this is the nose. we’re backwards tonight) and taste raspberries
Raspberry and blackberry
It’s not a dessert wine, but it’s making you excited for dessert. Like an introduction to it.”
Me: It does want to be a dessert wine when it grows up. As it breathes 15-30 min, the alcohol goes away and the sweetness intensifies.
I’ve had port that didn’t try this hard. This just doesn’t have the body to pull it off.
W:“You shut your mouth about that wine. It’s yummy. You leave my girl alone”
After breathing for a couple hours, it’s a completely different animal
I’ve never had a bottle do this.
There’s NO sweetness, acidity is front and center, the nose has gotten a sweet cherry note and the plum I smelled earlier is on the palate, a tart white plum, with the same raspberry notes. No more alcohol spice, no noticeable tannins
Wyfe: “Are you sure that’s the same bottle?” (yes it is)
It’s a better wine now (wasn’t bad before, just odd), this I would drink regularly.
Good QPR at this price, need to go count the cases in the closet and see if we have room for it.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2020 DAOU Red Blend - $60 = 29.16%
I think I opened a different bottle than bent80, but oddly enough, it was later replaced with a similar bottle. I think “weird” is a great descriptive of this on the open. It just needs a little time up front to think things over, and then it gets good.
I uncorked it and got punched in the nose with cassis and a lot of wood and smoke. My first sip made me put the glass down and walk away. Unlike bent80, I did NOT get any sweetness at all. It was tart akin to less-than-ripe blackberries, and the smoke was prominent. The smoke was strong enough that I wondered if the vineyard was near any of the wildfires over the past few years. I didn’t get a lot of alcohol burn or popped in the face with tannins, but my mouth was bone dry after that first sip. I had guessed (hoped?) that it just needed to breathe.
I returned to my glass after a good 45 minutes. Like Mrs. bent80, I suspected that someone switched out the bottles. There is no sweetness, but that tartness gave way to acidity that bolsters dark fruitiness (plums, cassis). I’m still getting a very slight woody/smoky note in the background, enough to make it interesting. Tannins are few, if any. I didn’t have anything to eat with this, but I would absolutely kill to drink this with a skirt steak & some good chimichurri.
I can’t say that my first sip was good. But this is a red, and sometimes reds just need time to sit and think about things. Turns out, this wine definitely fits that bill. Give this one ample time and space to breathe, and you’ll be rewarded.
@fait Smoke, eh? This is a 2020, but I don’t think Paso was hit at all hard that year. My other instinct was to say that would come from Syrah, but this doesn’t have Syrah, just Petite Sirah. I, at least, have never got a smoky note from PS, or any of the other grapes mentioned in the blend. Nice to hear it subsided as it opened up, though!
It’d be pretty cool if there were winery participation this weekend to speak to that…
I hope to God this is not swill. When I bought it before dawn, it was based on the name Daou and I had no idea it is SWEET, and I don’t need any cooking wine.
@rlindholm Another early bird, I’m with you in hoping this one turns out okay. I don’t think Daou would release a wine that undermines it’s brand. Also, if the wine is as odd as the rattage suggests, I question the CM price point, which I generally find to be rational.
2020 DAOU Curious Red Blend No 49A, Paso Robles
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$444.00/Case for 12x 2020 DAOU Curious Red Blend No 49A, Paso Robles at DAOU Vineyards & Winery
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 13 - Wednesday, Jan 15
2020 DAOU Red Blend
3 bottles for $59.99 $20/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
PnP
Deep purple, almost black, slightly translucent garnet edges
nose:plum
Initial grape fruit bomb, juicy and sweeter than expected from the blend, lighter tart finish with some slight spice from the alcohol
Mah Wyfe: “This is SWEET! <shocked Pikachu face>
Raspberry
All I can think about is raspberry and a berry custard tart. Or creme brulee. The toasted sugar on a creme brulee and raspberry is all I smell (oh. this is the nose. we’re backwards tonight) and taste raspberries
Raspberry and blackberry
It’s not a dessert wine, but it’s making you excited for dessert. Like an introduction to it.”
Me: It does want to be a dessert wine when it grows up. As it breathes 15-30 min, the alcohol goes away and the sweetness intensifies.
I’ve had port that didn’t try this hard. This just doesn’t have the body to pull it off.
W:“You shut your mouth about that wine. It’s yummy. You leave my girl alone”
After breathing for a couple hours, it’s a completely different animal
I’ve never had a bottle do this.
There’s NO sweetness, acidity is front and center, the nose has gotten a sweet cherry note and the plum I smelled earlier is on the palate, a tart white plum, with the same raspberry notes. No more alcohol spice, no noticeable tannins
Wyfe: “Are you sure that’s the same bottle?” (yes it is)
It’s a better wine now (wasn’t bad before, just odd), this I would drink regularly.
Good QPR at this price, need to go count the cases in the closet and see if we have room for it.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2020 DAOU Red Blend - $60 = 29.16%
I think I opened a different bottle than bent80, but oddly enough, it was later replaced with a similar bottle. I think “weird” is a great descriptive of this on the open. It just needs a little time up front to think things over, and then it gets good.
I uncorked it and got punched in the nose with cassis and a lot of wood and smoke. My first sip made me put the glass down and walk away. Unlike bent80, I did NOT get any sweetness at all. It was tart akin to less-than-ripe blackberries, and the smoke was prominent. The smoke was strong enough that I wondered if the vineyard was near any of the wildfires over the past few years. I didn’t get a lot of alcohol burn or popped in the face with tannins, but my mouth was bone dry after that first sip. I had guessed (hoped?) that it just needed to breathe.
I returned to my glass after a good 45 minutes. Like Mrs. bent80, I suspected that someone switched out the bottles. There is no sweetness, but that tartness gave way to acidity that bolsters dark fruitiness (plums, cassis). I’m still getting a very slight woody/smoky note in the background, enough to make it interesting. Tannins are few, if any. I didn’t have anything to eat with this, but I would absolutely kill to drink this with a skirt steak & some good chimichurri.
I can’t say that my first sip was good. But this is a red, and sometimes reds just need time to sit and think about things. Turns out, this wine definitely fits that bill. Give this one ample time and space to breathe, and you’ll be rewarded.
@fait Smoke, eh? This is a 2020, but I don’t think Paso was hit at all hard that year. My other instinct was to say that would come from Syrah, but this doesn’t have Syrah, just Petite Sirah. I, at least, have never got a smoky note from PS, or any of the other grapes mentioned in the blend. Nice to hear it subsided as it opened up, though!
It’d be pretty cool if there were winery participation this weekend to speak to that…
I hope to God this is not swill. When I bought it before dawn, it was based on the name Daou and I had no idea it is SWEET, and I don’t need any cooking wine.
@rlindholm if it’s any consolation IT QUIT BEING SWEET
IDK how or why, my bottle just had a short identity crisis.
@rlindholm Another early bird, I’m with you in hoping this one turns out okay. I don’t think Daou would release a wine that undermines it’s brand. Also, if the wine is as odd as the rattage suggests, I question the CM price point, which I generally find to be rational.