DAOU Soul of a Lion Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Full-bodied dry red wine crafted in a structured, opulent Bordeaux-blend philosophy, emphasizing concentration, complexity, and ageworthiness. · DAOU Vineyards, founded by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou, is a premier, family-owned estate located in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. Known as a cult producer in California, DAOU has garnered international critical acclaim for crafting world-class Bordeaux-style blends that rival the most respected estates in Napa Valley and Bordeaux. Their dedication to precision viticulture and estate-grown fruit has solidified their reputation at the pinnacle of luxury winemaking in the Central Coast.
Vintage: 2019. The 2019 growing season in Paso Robles experienced an ideal mix of ample winter rainfall, a mild spring, and warm summer days tempered by significant diurnal temperature shifts. This extended hang time allowed the grapes to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness while maintaining vibrant acidity, resulting in an exceptional, beautifully balanced vintage.
Type
Full-bodied dry red wine crafted in a structured, opulent Bordeaux-blend philosophy, emphasizing concentration, complexity, and ageworthiness.
Producer
DAOU Vineyards, founded by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou, is a premier, family-owned estate located in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. Known as a cult producer in California, DAOU has garnered international critical acclaim for crafting world-class Bordeaux-style blends that rival the most respected estates in Napa Valley and Bordeaux. Their dedication to precision viticulture and estate-grown fruit has solidified their reputation at the pinnacle of luxury winemaking in the Central Coast.
Country
United States. As a leader in New World winemaking, the United States—and California in particular—combines pioneering winemaking philosophies with diverse microclimates, pushing the boundaries of quality and challenging traditional Old World paradigms without being bound by strict historical appellation laws.
Vintage
2019. The 2019 growing season in Paso Robles experienced an ideal mix of ample winter rainfall, a mild spring, and warm summer days tempered by significant diurnal temperature shifts. This extended hang time allowed the grapes to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness while maintaining vibrant acidity, resulting in an exceptional, beautifully balanced vintage.
Region & Appellation
Paso Robles, Adelaida District AVA, California, United States. The Adelaida District is one of Paso Robles' most prestigious sub-appellations, celebrated for its high-elevation vineyards, steep slopes, and unique calcareous soils that impart remarkable freshness and structure to the wines.
Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon predominantly, typically blended with small percentages of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. These Bordeaux varieties thrive in the calcareous soils and warm, sunny climate of DAOU Mountain, yielding intense dark fruit flavors, structured tannins, and aromatic complexity.
Color & Appearance
Deep, opaque ruby-purple core with a vibrant magenta rim, exhibiting high viscosity with slow-moving, thick legs that cling to the glass, signaling great concentration and extract.
Aroma Profile
An intensely aromatic bouquet featuring primary notes of ripe black cherry, cassis, and blackberry, complemented by secondary and tertiary nuances of dark chocolate, espresso bean, graphite, sweet tobacco, crushed violets, and subtle French oak-derived cedar and vanilla.
Tasting Notes
A powerful yet impeccably balanced wine with an impactful initial impression of dark stone fruits and cassis. The mid-palate unfolds with layers of graphite, cocoa, and sweet tobacco, leading to a remarkably long, seamless finish supported by polished tannins and vibrant, refreshing acidity.
Flavor Profile
Dominated by opulent flavors of blackberry jam, black currant, and dark plum, interwoven with savory notes of dried herbs, espresso, wet stone minerality, and sophisticated, well-integrated hints of vanilla, clove, and toasted oak.
Body & Texture
Full-bodied with a velvety, plush mouthfeel. The wine possesses immense concentration and extract, yet maintains an ethereal lightness on the palate due to balanced acidity and finely-grained, integrated tannins.
Acidity & Tannins
Medium-plus, bright acidity that lifts the rich fruit profile and prevents the wine from feeling heavy. The tannins are high in quantity yet remarkably fine-grained, velvety, and supple, providing a firm structural backbone that promises decades of longevity.
Sweetness Level
Bone dry, with virtually no residual sugar, though the perception of fruit sweetness is enhanced by the plush ripeness of the grapes and generous oak aging.
Alcohol Content
14.8% ABV. Typical for high-end Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, providing a warming sensation on the finish that is well-balanced by the wine's rich extract, concentration, and structured acidity.
Aging & Oak
Aged for approximately 22 months in 100% new French oak barrels. This rigorous oak program imparts complex notes of vanilla, toast, wood spice, and cocoa, while softening the massive tannins and allowing the wine to develop secondary complexity.
Food Pairings
Ideal with prime ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb with garlic and rosemary, filet mignon with a red wine reduction, braised short ribs, and aged artisanal hard cheeses like aged gouda or white cheddar.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at 60-65°F (15-18°C) in a large Bordeaux glass. Decanting for at least 1 to 2 hours is highly recommended to allow the complex aromas and dense structure to open up. Enjoy now or cellar through the next decade.
Price Range
$150 - $175 USD, representing a luxury-tier offering that delivers exceptional value compared to similarly scored cult Napa Valley Cabernets.
Quality Assessment
Estimated at 95-98 points by major wine critics. This is an icon-tier wine of exceptional quality and consistency, representing the absolute pinnacle of winemaking in Paso Robles and competing comfortably with world-class Bordeaux blends.
Production Methods
Hand-harvested in the cool early morning hours, meticulously hand-sorted, fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with gentle pump-overs, subjected to extended maceration to maximize color and tannin extraction, and aged in 100% new French oak without fining or filtration.
Terroir
Grown at an elevation of 2,200 feet on DAOU Mountain in the Adelaida District. The soils consist of weathered limestone and calcareous clay, which mimic the legendary terroir of Bordeaux's Right Bank and Saint-Émilion. Significant diurnal shifts—hot sunny days followed by cool mountain nights—preserve natural acidity.
History & Heritage
Founded in 2007 by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou after a rigorous global search for the ultimate terroir to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. DAOU Mountain quickly established Paso Robles as a serious contender on the world stage for ultra-luxury Bordeaux-style blends.
Interesting Facts
Soul of a Lion is named as a tribute to the brothers' father, Rachid Daou, embodying his strength, resilience, and unyielding character through adversity. The wine has become one of the most sought-after cult collectibles in California wine history.
Cellaring Potential
Excellent cellaring potential. Ready to begin drinking with proper decanting, it will continue to evolve and hit its peak maturity between 10 to 20 years from the vintage date, holding gracefully for decades under proper cellar conditions.
Similar Wines
Opus One, Caymus Special Selection, Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Bond Estates, and top-tier Bordeaux Second Growths like Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.