When you manage to pair the perfect wine with the perfect dish, they don’t just complement one another; the match creates something better than the sum of its parts. The sweet acidity of the wine makes the savoury food more prominent; the salt in the dish brings out the flavours of the grapes. And it’s often the big, bold reds that – when properly matched – really show this to the fullest.

DAOU is one of the most respected wineries in the US, with vineyards planted across its own mountain in Paso Robles, an undiscovered gem in the heart of California wine country. It is famed for its Cabernet Sauvignon, single-handedly redefining what the Californian iteration of this wine can be. It manages to balance being full-bodied and rich whilst remaining refined and elegant, making it an age-worthy wine that's built for the table, with well-integrated tannins bringing real harmony to bold, complex dishes. We’ve taken two of the producer’s bottles – a 2023 Cab Sav and a very special 2022 Reserve Cab Sav – and paired it with some of our favourite recipes. The result? A real marriage of flavour which makes both the wine and dish taste better. The ultimate win-win.

With rich notes of cherry, black olive and sandalwood, this is a highly perfumed yet deeply complex expression of Paso Robles, the area in California where it is produced.

This is a deeply savoury, incredibly indulgent dish which is rooted in classical cooking and simple to cook – making it one of our go-to dinners when we need a bit of warming comfort. The addition of Marmite in the braising liquid adds heaps of umami, which matches up with the bold tannins in the wine, while the creamy celeriac purée creates a lovely contrast with the Cab Sav’s fruity acidity.

Lamb and mushroom are two flavourful ingredients which go beautifully with a Cabernet Sauvignon, so when they’re both in the same dish you’re already onto a winner. What really makes this pairing sing though is the sauce, rich with warming spice, acidity from tomato and depth from chicken stock, along with the almond crunch, which marries well with the woody notes in the wine.

Something magical happens when you cook onions low and slowly enough. They break down into a sticky, sweet, savoury tangle which – for a humble vegetable – can become the star attraction. This pasty is filled with nothing but caramelised onions in a rich beef stock sauce, while the fondue dip on the side evokes all the fantastic flavours of French onion soup. All these decadent flavours are the perfect match for the bold, fruity, tannin-led notes in the wine.

This is a very special wine indeed, made from the very best grapes from the Paso Robles vineyards. Flavours and aromas are turned up a gear, with layers of black fruit and chocolate-covered blueberry with underlying herbal, cedar and mineral complexity.

This is a cheffy take on the classic pairing of beef and parsnips which is surprisingly simple to pull off. Beef cheeks are slow-cooked until falling apart, while the parsnips are very finely diced and cooked in a creamy sauce to create a risotto-like texture. What makes this dish particularly well suited to the DAOU Reserve is the high proportion of Parmesan in the dish, adding a seriously deep, savoury, umami note. All of that richness is the perfect contrast to the spicy, dark berry acidity of the wine.

Any plate of food which includes duck, potatoes and cheese is going to be a winner – this tartiflette (a hearty dish from the French Alps) is a no-holds-barred homage to the trio of ingredients. Sliced potatoes are layered up with caramelised onions, shredded duck confit, garlic-spiked crème fraiche and oozing, melted Reblochon cheese. It’s a decadent dish, for sure – so having a wine that is just as full-bodied but with a fruitiness which can cut through all that gooey cheese is a must. DAOU’s 2022 Reserve is a genuine match made in heaven.

You don’t see enough cobblers these days, but when the weather starts to turn a little chilly and you want something that’s comforting but a bit different, this venison cobbler is incredible. A rich stew of tender venison, enriched with pancetta and balanced with dark beer, is topped with roast baby parsnips and scones flavoured with horseradish and cheese. The savouriness of the stew, the umami of the scones, the sweetness of the parsnips – all these elements pair in their own unique way with the equally complex flavours in the wine.