Daou Special Select Pessimist Red Blend 2021

Brothers Georges and Daniel Daou are Lebanese immigrants who grew up in France. From a young age, the pair would walk the vineyards of Southern France hoping one day to fulfill their dream of becoming winemakers.

They moved to the States in the 1980s to study electrical and computer engineering and later started their own company, DAOU Systems, a networking technology company that would revolutionize hospital computer systems. All the while, Daniel made wine in his garage in rural San Diego, tending to a one-acre vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon while practicing to one day fulfill his lifelong dream.

In 1998, the brothers took DAOU Systems public and then sold it for a pretty penny, allowing the brothers to start a winery like they always planned. They found a mountain that stands alone at an insane elevation of 2,200 feet in the heart of the Adelaida District in the rugged west coast range of Paso Robles. Instantly, they knew they had found their spot — most everyone told them that was a huge mistake.