As “Father’s Day approaches, you might be thinking of giving dad a wine gift. While it may seem a bit of a stereotype that men prefer red wine, there is evidence this is true. So, here are some recommendations for your wine loving dad.
Cabernet Sauvignon continues to be the most popular. But instead of defaulting to Napa Valley, I suggest Paso Robles. Specifically, these from DAOU. Soul of a Lion (2023, $150), is produced from the estate in the prized Adelaida District, as a tribute to the DAOU founder’s father, in a lavish style that offers sweet berry fruit coated with vanilla oak and delivered with a lush mouthfeel.
Two DAOU Reserves combine fruit from the estate and select Paso Robles AVAs: 2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) blackberry, raspberry, plum, accented by licorice, thyme, vanilla, cocoa, cedar, rounded tannins; and 2022 Seventeen Forty ($80), a Bordeaux-inspired blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, and petit verdot, displays sweet dark berries and plum, coffee, vanilla, sage, mocha, and refined tannins.
After years in the shadows, Syrah is having a moment, emerging as a compelling option for red wine lovers. These first two are rich and powerful expressions shaped by terroir, climate and skillful winemaking.
The 2022 Arkenstone Estate ($195) is organically grown on hillside slopes of Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain. It impresses with enveloping dark berry, plum, cocoa, olives, cured meat, and earth; a full-bodied, dynamic mouthfeel, polished tannins, and savory, peppery finish. The 2021 Bouchaine Estate ($125), from Napa’s cool-climate Carneros, opens with dense blackberry, black cherry, black pepper with hints of bacon, and licorice, but with nuance from aging in oak and on the lees.
Santa Barbara also produces fine Syrah. A good of example is the 2023 Demetria Estate North Slope ($55). Family-owned in the Santa Ynez Valley, the hillside estate vineyard benefits from regenerative, biodynamic farming. A nod to the traditional Côte-Rôtie in the Northern Rhône, as it is supplemented with 5% viognier, it is vibrant, fresh with raspberry, chocolate, black pepper and an elegant palate.
Washington State has established itself as a Syrah leader. The 2022 Spring Valley “Nina Lee” ($65) is from a property in Walla Walla with an agricultural history dating to the mid-1850s and its first vintage in 1993. It impresses with bright cherry, hint of tobacco, strong structure and a pleasing mineral note.