This entry-level Cabernet Sauvignon is the only Cabernet in the Daou portfolio made entirely of purchased fruit and is intended to be drunk young. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged 11 months in 60% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple, it opens with pure crème de cassis and meaty touches, slow to unfurl, over pure blackberries, cedar and dried thyme. Medium to full-bodied, it explodes with flavor in the mouth, purely defined but very ripe, with a very finely grained frame and a youthful cloaking of new oak, finishing long, fresh and classy.

Shimmering ruby-red. Lively cherry and black currant aromas show a primary jamminess and take on floral and woodsmoke notes with air. Supple and broad in the mouth, offering juicy dark berry and bitter cherry flavors that turn sweeter on the back half. Smoke and tobacco nuances come up on a long, smooth finish that's given gentle grip by round, even tannins.

Checking in at 13.9% natural alcohol, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is outstanding, with a forward, charming yet also structured style. Classy notes of cassis, currants, and violets all emerge from the glass, and it's already drinking beautifully.