DAOU | Pessimist | Red Blend | Paso Robles | 2020
petite sirah | primitivo | syrah | lagrein

We will be evaluating wines in no particular order on no particular schedule. Just stay tuned and you will never miss our reviews. If the wine is tasted more than once, the rating table will be updated so as to reflect all the new impressions and observations.

Daou Estate is the family winery of brothers Georges and Daniel Daou, who searched high and low for the perfect site in order to found their ambitious wine project in the Napa Valley, before they finally discovering that Paso Robles had the terroir that suits perfectly their needs. The estate is located in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles and has been described as “a jewel of ecological elements” by the legendary californian winemaker André Tchelistcheff. The pride of the winery is the 14 unique cabernet sauvignon clones.

The wine that we are going to review today hardly requires any introduction, as this is one of the most recognizable wine labels from California‘s Centra Coast of USA – Pessimist Red Blend Paso Robles 2020 by Daou Mountain. This wine is a blend of four grape varieties: petite sirah (62% – also known as durif or petite syrah and rarely found outside of California), primitivo (18% – the California‘s main grape variety, known as zinfandel in the USA), syrah (17% – a key grape variety in California that is responsible for some of the most sought-after wines in the last years) and lagrein (3% – a specialty of Trentino-Alto Adige, that today is enjoying a certain reclame on the international markets), where petite sirah forms the wine’s main body and structure, zinfandel adds more muscles and delivers a more dynamic finish, syrah is all about up-front richness and black fruit flavors, while lagrein builds a more refined mid-palate and offers a leaner and a more dynamic finish. The grapes are sourced from the Paso Robles AVA (California, USA), famous for its calcareous, clayey and limestone-rich soil, and in order to soften the tannins and add extra complexity to the final blend, the wine has been aged for 10 months in french oak barriques, from which 50% new oak. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
_________________________________________________________________________
Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: bright & noble indigo shades

//Olfactory
intensity: pronounced & expressive
fruit character: ripe & overripe

On the first nose, the wine exudes an enticing olfactory experience, with its ripe and overripe fruit character, it captivates the senses right from the start. The foreground reveals a symphony of black fruits with oaky undertones, including blackcurrant, black cherry, blackberry, black mulberry and black plum. These rich flavors intertwine seamlessly, creating a harmonious mixture of luscious dark fruits and subtle, spicy-earthy hints in the background, such as liquorice, black soil, roasted oak, nutmeg, cloves, sweet tobacco, charcoal, pencil lead and peppercorn. This delightful combination adds depth and complexity to the wine’s flavour profile, enhancing the overall tasting experience. This wine is a true gem, that strikes a perfect balance between fruitiness and oakiness, with a touch of earthy elegance in the background.

//Palate
sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: high | balance: good
finish: long | aftertaste: crisp & heady

On the palate, this wine showcases a captivating blend of ripe and overripe fruit character, dominated by luscious black fruits. The interplay of oak and spice adds depth and complexity to the overall flavor profile. The mouthfeel is characterized by a bright and exuberant acidity that enlivens the senses, complemented by ripe tannins that provide structure and balance. There is an overwhelming touch of alcoholic warmth that enhances the wine’s richness and adds further complexity. As the flavors unfold, a crisp and heady aftertaste lingers, leaving a lasting impression. This is a full-bodied wine that feels firm, rich and round, displaying a well-structured complexity on the palate and harmonious balance between all its elements.

//Verdict
maturity: developing | drink now or age for another 3 to 5 years
verdict: great | a must try wine

All in all, this is an expressive and complex wine blend that stands out with its ample and rich character. It showcases a firm and grippy structure, embodying the best of both worlds: the old world’s elegance and the new world’s exuberance. However, in its current state, the wine seems to lack a bit of finesse on the palate, nonetheless, its depth and complexity make it a noteworthy addition to any wine enthusiast’s collection. We believe this wine is a textbook example of a well-crafted California blend that, with further refinement and bottle ageing, has all the required potential to reach into the realms of excellence.

//Scoring
DAOU | Pessimist | Red Blend | Paso Robles | 2020
variety: petite sirah | primitivo | syrah | lagrein
country: USA
region: California | Paso Robles
rating: 94.4

//Prediction
predicted rating: 91+
actual rating: 92
_________________________________________________________________________

This is definitely a great wine of USA and, with a total of 94.4 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Pairing: Judging by the wine’s expressive and complex character, we believe that it requires a pairing that can elevate the wine’s rich and bold flavors. Our suggestion would be to pair it with a grilled ribeye steak, as the steak’s marbling and its juicy tenderness makes it an ideal match for the wine’s ample and rich profile. The firm and grippy structure of the wine will complement the meat’s robustness, while the wine’s heady alcoholic warmth will add depth and enhance the savory flavors of the meat. In the same key, the smoky char from the grill will intermingle with the earthy undertones of the wine, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors that will elevate that culinary experience to the realms of perfection. Enjoy!

_________________________________________________________________________
© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.