Harvest 2021: Miracle on DAOU Mountain
The miracle of the harvest season has returned to DAOU Mountain. The grapes are reaching peak ripeness, the fruit is being harvested in the pre-dawn hours, and the rousing aromas of fermentation are rippling through the air.
Best of all, the 2021 harvest arrives full of promise. “These are some of the smallest berries we have ever seen on DAOU Mountain, with uber-high phenolics,” says Winemaker Daniel Daou. “Currently all of the Bordeaux varieties are showing outstanding quality with great structure.”
Getting here has been a journey. Daniel describes the 2021 growing season as “challenging but rewarding,” with drought conditions and a warm start to summer requiring considerable diligence in the vineyard. “We take a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to everything, and it makes a world of difference,” Daniel says.
We now find ourselves at that magical moment when the grapes become wine. It would be all too easy to take this annual transformation for granted. Instead, let us marvel at this notion of mere grapes becoming wines that fill our senses with awe and wonder, and that are destined to deliver joy well into the future.
“My expectations are high as we head into the heart of the harvest season,” Daniel says. “From everything I have seen so far, I have no doubt that our 2021 wines will reward patient cellaring for many years to come.”