Treasury Wine Estates recently announced that it had acquired DAOU Vineyards in Paso Robles for a whopping $900 million. It caught me by total surprise because I didn’t think Georges and Daniel Daou was willing to part with a project they were so passionate about. The price was even more staggering.

I have interviewed Daniel a number of times and was impressed with his family story and his insistence that he found his place for grapes the closest to Bordeaux in soil. He and his brother narrowly escaped death during the bombing of Beirut. Both suffered emotional and physical scars before their father evacuated them to safer grounds. Inseparable, they launched Daou Vineyards in 2007 and got good reviews. Soul of the Lion, a Bordeaux blend, is named in honor of their father.

I’m sure the price was too good to pass up. But $900 million? Wow. Treasury says aligns with its strategy to build a luxury portfolio and expand in the United States. But I wouldn’t call Daou a luxury wine. Outside of its Soul of the Lion blend, its wines are pretty pedestrian. They are pretty ubiquitous on the market, though.

I’m sorry to see Daniel Daou leave the wine market, but best of luck to the brothers.