They say their terroir is a very rare soil, calcareous clay, the same type found in Saint-Émilion and the right bank of Bordeaux. The limestone subsoil, they say, is perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties. They boast that it was exactly the soil they were looking for more than a decade ago when they searched around the world for their dream vineyard.
Now known as DAOU Mountain, the land rises to an elevation of 2,200 feet in the hills of the Adelaida District, on the west side of the Paso Robles AVA. Georges wants to make it clear that he and his brother did not buy a winery - they bought dirt and brought in the passion to unlock its potential. Daniel is the winemaker sibling.
The 2020 Bodyguard Chardonnay, however, comes from Santa Barbara County. It is the newest addition to the Daou wine list. The grapes were grown in the Santa Barbara appellation, a great source for Chardonnay grapes. French and American oak barrels give the wine that classic California Chardonnay feel. Alcohol hits 14.5% abv and the retail sticker reads $40.
One sniff and you know this golden juice is a California Chardonnay. The peach, pear and lemon aromas are as upfront as you'd expect, and the whiff of buttery oak - not at all overdone - draws the drinker in like a magnet. Amazing fruit drives the palate, too, with enough of that buttery feel to remind us why we love California.
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