Daniel J. Daou, the co-proprietor of DAOU Family Estates
in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, is a renowned
winemaker known for creating the luxury Cabernet
revolution in Paso Robles.

Growing up the larger part of his childhood in France,
Daniel developed a love for wine at a very young age.
He immigrated to California to attend the University of
California San Diego where he earned a Bachelor of
Science degree in Computer Engineering. At the young
age of 21 years old, he co-founded DAOU Systems with
his brother which became the leader in Hospital Systems
Integration within 10 years. After taking his company
public in 1997 and having it be the 5th best performing
IPO that year, he decided to retire to pursue his dream of
becoming a winemaker.

Daniel is a true visionary who saw the immense potential
of Paso Robles and the legendary terroir on what is now
DAOU Mountain. A trained engineer with an artistic eye
and palate, Daniel’s highly rated and revered wines have
been declared by the world’s foremost wine critics as
“rivaling the best wines in the world”.

Daniel is the first and only winemaker to receive 100 points
on Bordeaux varieties in the Paso Robles region. With the
highest scoring Cabernet Sauvignon in the Central Coast
region, Daniel’s track record of impeccable quality in the
fine wine world continues to garner accolades from both
critics and consumers alike. Consistently scoring at the
top of peer-to-peer rated apps, the swell of support for
Daniel and his wines has extraordinary momentum and
the wines are allocated in all channels.

Daniel truly believes in the Paso Robles region, and
founded the Paso Robles CAB Collective, a grassroot,
non-profit organization of winemakers designed with the
belief that the Paso Robles AVA can produce wines that
are worthy of international acclaim and able to rival the
best Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world.

Daniel J. Daou

Winemaker

Hailed decades earlier as a “jewel of ecological elements” by legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff, DAOU Mountain was rediscovered by brothers Georges Daou and Daniel Daou in 2007. 
Then known as Hoffman Mountain Ranch, the property produced notable wines and was widely considered the birthplace of modern winemaking in Paso Robles. However, its full potential lay unfulfilled for more than 30 years.

After years of searching, their worldwide quest for a sublime terroir ended here, on steep slopes that ascend to an elevation of 2,200 feet, all blessed with the type of calcareous clay soil found in the greatest appellations. Under the brothers’ stewardship, the Adelaida District would soon become the world’s newest benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals.

DAOU is the culmination of the brothers’ shared dream. Through their vision and perseverance, it’s served as a catalyst for the entire Paso Robles region’s rise on the global wine scene, taking the industry by storm, challenging conventions and changing the paradigm of what a wine company can be.

DAOU Family Estates

United States, California

Winemakers

Daniel J. Daou

Winemaker