Daou - Soul Of A Lion - Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (750ml)

Soul of a Lion is the crown jewel of DAOU, named after Joseph Daou, the father of Georges and Daniel Daou.

“The original soul of a lion, our father, endowed us with unwavering love, passion, and courage throughout our lives. His pursuit of the extraordinary drove us to discover DAOU Mountain—and to embark on a dream decades in the making. 2019 Soul of a Lion is a wine that proudly honors him and will always be released on his birthday in years to come.” Co-proprietor Georges Daou. 

The 2019 Soul of a Lion is a blockbuster vintage that showcases how Bordeaux varieties are remarkably suited to the terroir of DAOU Mountain. This wine explodes from the glass with a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors, including blackberry, blueberry, black currant, dark cherry, sweet tobacco and licorice. An added floral dimension imparts an integrated sense of elegance and freshness. While full-bodied with ultra-high phenolic levels, this wine maintains its evenness and poise through an extraordinarily long finish. Structured, balanced and powerful, the 2019 Soul of a Lion will reveal its full magnitude after several years of careful cellaring. Winemaker Daniel Daou.

The 2019 Soul Of A Lion is a blend of free-run Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Cabernet Franc (14%), and Petit Verdot (9%), aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque ruby in color, it offers aromatic contrast between dark, savory cherry fruit, chargrill and graphite, and top notes of green pepper and rose petals. The palate explodes with detailed flavors and its tannins are already resolved and chocolaty, with seamless acidity and exotic spicy layers emerging on the extended finish. Wow! Erin Brooks, 97+, 3/2022.

Inky magenta. Primary, mineral-accented cassis, cherry pit, licorice, roasted coffee and incense aromas reveal oak spice and pipe tobacco flourishes. Shows superb clarity and spicy thrust on the palate, offering sweet black and blue fruit, exotic spice, vanilla and candied rose flavors that deftly blend weight and energy. Youthfully gripping tannins frame a wonderfully long, smoky finish that leaves cherry liqueur and vanilla notes behind. 100% new French oak. Josh Raynolds, 11/2021.

Toasted espresso bean, charred walnut shell and seared meat aromas ride atop a dark cassis tone, all contributing to the portrait of a brooding wine. That classic toasty, woody element spreads through the palate, as dark cocoa dust sprinkled across rich berry sauce flavors get a light pop of mint on the finish. Matt Kettmann, 10/1/2022.
 

 A full-bodied cabernet sauvignon with firmness and length. Very polished tannins. Chewy and solid. Very curated and thoughtful quality to the tannins. Sandalwood and blackberry on the finish, which remains elegant, despite the strength. Try after 2025 and onwards

Always a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot that's brought up in new barrels, the 2019 Soul Of A Lion sports a dense purple hue as well as a beautiful nose of pure crème de cassis, currants, chocolate,
crushed stone, and tobacco. It's rich and full-bodied, with a voluptuous texture, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. 94-96+, 9/2021.