Daou Wine Tasting: A Flight of Wine With Paso Robles’ Most Breathtaking View

Paso Robles remains one of our favorite escapes in California — and a Daou wine tasting is about as good as it gets. Paso Robles, while not as famous as Napa and Sonoma, is producing some of California’s top wines. But don’t just take our word, Daou has regularly been selected by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as the “American Winery of the Year,” competing mostly against the big players in Napa. A Daou wine tasting is always on the itinerary to Paso — no matter how many times we visit a year. It’s so good that we even arranged a virtual wine tasting with our family on the east coast during the height of COVID.

Needless to say, we were excited to visit Paso Robles to experience Daou’s tasting on property with its soaring views and incredible wines. So Kevin and I packed up the bags, the kids and Doug the dog for a week in Paso Robles. I mean, talk about a commitment. I think we’re going to need a bigger car.

Check out our latest adventure and soon you’ll be booking your next trip to Paso Robles.

How Long Does It Take To Travel From LA To Paso Robles?

The total drive time from LA to Paso Robles really depends on the amount of traffic. Luckily, we didn’t have much and arrived in just under 3.5 hours. More than likely, Google Maps will give you 2 options to drive north — either going up Interstate 5 (aka “the 5” in Cali speak) or going along Interstate 101 (“the 101”) to Santa Barbara. Without a doubt, take the 101 which hugs the ocean before cutting inland through Santa Barbara’s wine country and other cute little towns like Los Olivos.

The route through Los Olivos might not be the most direct, but it is a lot more scenic. The amount of extra time really depends on the traffic. For our drive, it took us 6 extra minutes out of our way (but it’s southern California and could take a lot longer).

Daou Wine Tasting: The Story Of Georges And Daniel Daou

We’ve visited so many places where the view is the main selling point. However, Daou not only has the view but some of Paso Robles best wine you can find. The story behind Daou is pretty incredible, too. The winery was founded by Georges and Daniel Daou, Lebanese brothers who immigrated with their family to France when they were just 10- and 14-years-old to escape the civil war. They moved to the south of France, which is where their fascination with the culture of wine began. The brothers found their way to the United States but it wasn’t for the wine. They studied engineering at the University of California — where they eventually founded a software company. When it got sold, they decided it was time to fulfill their long-time dream of opening a winery. Flash forward to 2007 and that’s when Daou winery began.

Why Visit? An Experience Like No Other In Paso Robles

One of the first things you’ll notice while driving through Paso Robles is the lack of traffic. You won’t find the massive crowds or throngs of tour buses like in Napa. We could immediately feel all the pressure of the week melt away as we pulled off the two lane highway in the direction of Daou’s tasting room. These dads are ready for a break.

We quickly found a spot in Daou’s parking lot and walked inside the tasting room. Within minutes, we were greeted by Alejandro, one of Daou’s expert wine specialists, and poured a glass of their 2019 reserve rose. It is made with 100 percent Grenache Noir and aged for 7 months in new French Oak. I mean, can anything beat a cool rosé on a sunny SoCal afternoon? We dare you to think of something better!

This isn’t our first visit to Daou. My family loves to drink wine and over the years, I’ve sent them photos of this picturesque spot. In fact, when I told them we were visiting Daou again, they texted me that one day they hoped to visit soon. And Daou would be their first stop. Notice, their first stop wasn’t to see us. I see where we rank! Okay, I think we’ll let them off the hook.

We followed Alejandro outside to our table overlooking the valley. There really isn’t a bad view from any table — with options to either sit in the shade or soak up the California rays. Since we’re about as tan as a ghost, we opted for a table under an umbrella to enjoy the five different wines in the Daou wine tasting.

From here, we moved onto Daou’s bold red wines. First, enjoying their 2018 Seventeen-Forty Reserve made with 78 percent Cabernet Franc, 22 percent Merlot and aged for 16 months in new French Oak.

This full-bodied wine had delicious notes of smoke and heavy tannins of black cherry. It was nice to have a little time away as a couple — you know, a true date without the worries of baby spit up. For once, I had a clean shirt that remained that way for a few hours.

The 3 reds that followed seemed to get better with each pour. Though, this often happens when we’re tasting wine. Kevin always gets a kick out of it since by the end, I’m like, “This is the best one yet!” But in reality, we just revisited the same one from the beginning. Okay, guilty…

As we wrapped up the last tasting, we felt a cool breeze blow past. Somehow we spent 3 full hours lounging at Daou, even though it felt like we just arrived. Clearly, this was exactly the relaxation we needed before heading back to our Airbnb and taking care of the kids.

And of course, it’s where I came up with the inspiration for the letter board marking our twins 10 weeks. Clearly, our tasting at Daou helped channel my vino inspiration.

Looking for other ideas in Paso Robles? Check out our top picks for a romantic getaway in Paso Robles and our 3-day itinerary in Paso Robles. Have more time? Read our recommendations for a cheap weekend in Santa Barbara and Ojai. And of course, if you are looking for more ideas to do during COVID, here are our top 5 fun ideas to do at home.

THE LOW DOWN

• Daou, 2777 Hidden Mountain Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446
• Advance reservations recommended for a Daou wine tasting. Reservations can be made directly on Daou’s website.
• $40 a tasting per person