I did not get a chance to try the 2014 vintage of this wine, but was told by multiple people that it was a fantastic wine. I was excited to see the 2015 in the wood a couple of weeks ago. When I say “in the wood,” I mean in the wooden bins located next to the aisles of wine at Costco, which usually feature higher-priced swill. My first thought after seeing this wine, however, was “2015, that’s young.” I think more wine makers are moving towards releasing wines sooner that are more approachable and ready to drink now.
This is a deep and dark, in-your-face Paso Robles wine. On the nose, I detected gingerbread, root-beer, and cola. The tannins are reserved, probably from less oak, in order to let the fruit shine. While the wine was a pleasure to drink, I felt at this stage in its life that it lacked the focus and complexity I was looking for. I would love to taste this wine again in a few years to see if things have gotten a little happier and more in sync since then. For now, subtle flavors of cooked berries and mocha fight to balance the alcohol.
This wine is one that will divide wine drinkers. I like my wines with a little bit of age and with generous tannins, generally speaking, because I like what happens with time as the wines evolve into more harmonious and complex juices that are less fruit-forward. Others will prefer to drink this wine now, in its youth, because of the smooth and simple bold fruit flavors. Vivino users give this a 4.0 rating, which means most people who have rated it on Vivino have loved it. I am confident to recommend this wine to anyone looking for New World cabs in the $20 price range.
This vintage has not been rated by Wine Spectator, but Vinous gave it a healthy 91 points. Daou currently retails for $22.99 at my local Costco club, and is available online through various websites for around the $25 mark.
Purchased in Atlanta, GA
CostcoWineBlog.com rating: 88 points
Costco item number: 609714
alc 14.1%
2014 says
the 2014 is better.