Winemaker – Daniel Winemaker

Daniel works for several wineries around the globe and possesses extensive knowledge in all areas of winemaking. With an eye for detail and the ability to see the big picture in mind, he provides impeccable services to his employers.

Daniel Johnnes Selections importer and founder of two major festivals (soon to become three) is an impresario in the wine world; yet despite this he remains very accessible.

Early Life and Education

Daniel began working the harvest at Sunset Hills Vineyard in Purcellville, Virginia as a young adult and learned winemaking techniques such as fruit sampling, basic laboratory work, additions, inoculations and fermentation. Later he gained expertise with cellar work at Ashburn Wine Shop where he managed inventory and sales.

After spending some time in Virginia, he took up work with Sherman Thacher at his winery in Paso Robles, California. This would prove to be an eye-opening experience as it provided access to grape varieties and vintages he had never worked with previously, while developing an appreciation of old vine material.

Professional Career

Winemaking career opportunities took him around the globe. Nate stressed the value of hands-on learning and encouraged him to travel abroad for harvest work as well as working in wine sales for further insight into business aspects of this industry.

Daniel is both a winemaker and musician, regularly hosting lively musical dinners on his estate. A true Renaissance man, Daniel enjoys learning as much as teaching others.

He has taken great strides in creating an original winemaking style by using old bush vines and traditional viticulture techniques to experiment. He conducts several trials each year to advance his wines even further and is truly passionate about preserving his land’s terroir and history.

Achievement and Honors

Since Daniel began standing atop DAOU Mountain, his wines have achieved unparalleled success and been recognized by Wine Spectator as among the world’s best. Daniel remains at the forefront of Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon’s continued development and remains highly praised today.

He has also launched a small import company that features a selection of French wines previously unavailable in the US and arranged several Burgundy wine dinners in New York.

Daniel remains humble despite his success. He puts customers first and takes great pride in developing personal relationships with them. Additionally, Daniel continues to study California wine history, and has brought attention to previously forgotten vineyards.

Personal Life

Daniel exudes an infectious enthusiasm for life. He holds that we were all created for greatness and that we should seek to maximize our net pleasure (pleasure minus pain).

As soon as Daniel returned from Virginia, he continued his work at Ashburn Wine Shop where he met Sergio Mendes of Thacher Winery and received encouragement to apply for a harvest internship at their Paso Robles winery.

Daniel began working at a winery where he was introduced to various grape varieties including Bordeaux varietals. Since then, Daniel has developed an avid interest in lesser known varietals such as Cinsault and Black Malvasia which remain relatively unknown today. Today he spends most of his time cultivating and researching these California varietals; creating wines which truly represent DAOU Mountain Terroir.

Net Worth

Daniel’s impressive net worth is a result of hard work and the pursuit of excellence, and allows him to live an opulent lifestyle while contributing to charitable projects that strengthen his standing as a philanthropist.

Australian Formula One racer 34-year-old Michael “Honey Badger” Schumacher is one of the highest-paid athletes, earning over $35 Million per year through salary, sponsorships and other sources.

Daniel made his fortune through his ownership stake in Spotify, an international music streaming service with more than 365 million active users in 178 countries. In 2023 he launched his wine brand called DR3, complete with its own merchandise line including hats, shirts, and socks; these wines combine French and Lebanese influences making them highly unique in the market.