DAOU and the growth of Paso Robles
Known as “the fastest-growing luxury wine brand in the US,” the recent acquisition of Daou Vineyards by Treasury Wine Estates highlights the exceptional quality of wines coming from Paso Robles. From a relatively unknown area to one of California’s premier wine destinations, the Paso Robles wine growing region has experienced remarkable growth over the past few decades, going from less than 20 wineries in the early 90’s to more than 200 now. Established by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou in 2007, the Daou Vineyards brand quickly gained recognition for crafting exceptional Bordeaux-style wines, and played a pivotal role in the growth and elevation of the Paso Robles wine region through their success, which attracted both investment and talent to the area, contributing to its burgeoning reputation as a world-class wine destination. The recent sale to Treasury Wine Estates, who now adds their first Paso Robles brand to the group’s global portfolio of luxury and premium wineries, solidifies the reputation and influence of the region for wine-enthusiasts internationally.
In an effort to increase our local presence and provide close assistance to winemakers’ needs, Daniel Schuler-Jones joined the Berger team in September of 2022. With his background as winemaker at Vincent Vineyards in Santa Ynez, Dan understands the unique characteristics of the wine produced there and is able to bring valuable barrel recommendations to our clients.
INTERVIEW
Berger : Many people recognize you as a pioneer and visionary of Paso's potential, which you were able to recognize and exploit with great skill long before its current acclaim. What gave you confidence in the success of your winery in this particular location?
Daniel: Moving to Paso Robles was motivated above all by the passion of wanting to make wine - a passion that haunted me. But as engineers, we were prepared to break all the rules and not follow “trends”. So we asked ourselves a very simple question. What is the best terroir for Bordeaux grape varieties? And the answer was very clear. We needed European soils and a climate ideally a little cooler than Napa and a little warmer than Bordeaux. We chose our mountain because it had all the characteristics we were looking for. We knew that if we made good wine, we had the marketing and sales skills to put Paso on the world map. We plunged into this adventure fearlessly and relentlessly to succeed.
B: This new project in Tuscany, when one considers your personal trajectory - fleeing the civil war in Lebanon in 1973, immigrating to France where your family settled and where you discovered your passion for wine - seems like a return to the land of your birth, or at least to Mediterranean culture. Tell us more about this new project and its perhaps more personal meaning?
D: This new project in Tuscany is a return to the Mediterranean life we grew up in. La Dolce Vita. This project is a lifestyle project that will give the second generation of our family the chance to live a life among the vines. It's a project that comes from the heart and will allow us to continue living our passion for wine and the land. .
B: Finally, being coopers, we're interested in your vision of aging for these new Italian wines. What style will you give your wines, and what role will oak aging play in achieving your goals?
D: Anything is possible. We'll be looking to have similar philosophies in terms of winemaking, but we also want to adapt to the terroir and style of wine that my daughter Lizzy Daou, who will be head of production, wants to have.