Daou Winery releases 8th ‘Soul of a Lion’ cabernet sauvignon
–Winemaker Daniel Daou and his brother Georges Daou released the 8th iteration of Daou’s flagship cabernet sauvignon, Soul of a Lion, for $125 a bottle, the winery announced today.
Soul of a Lion represents the family patriarch, Joseph Daou and the lessons of persistence, passion and courage he instilled in his sons during their childhood. When the brothers were boys, the Daou family found themselves in the crossfire of the Lebanese Civil War.
Joseph led his injured family to safety, moved them to France to rebuild their lives and left the comfort of France for a better life in the U.S. Before his passing, he visited Daou Mountain with his sons where they overlooked the new vineyard, and he listened to their winemaking dream.
With his blessing, their dream crystallized into conviction and their pursuit of the perfect Cabernet Sauvignon began. The flagship cabernet sauvignon is a testament to that moment and a fitting tribute to the man and the father, who had the Soul of a Lion.
“The 2017 growing season was preceded by one of the wettest winters in recent memory, with nearly 35 inches of rain recorded on Daou Mountain,” says the winemaker, Daniel. “The vines were energized by the much-needed moisture, setting one of our best crops yet. The weather remained steady from spring through mid-summer. However, a heatwave descended upon California during the third week of August.
“Many vintners chose to harvest immediately, but we made the brave decision to allow the fruit to hang. As we suspected, a cooling trend snapped the heatwave, ensuring that the fruit achieved optimal ripeness. The result was our latest harvest ever on the mountain, reaching all the way into the third week of October. The long hang time yielded the deepest color and concentration we have seen from our estate. The tannins are silky and beautifully integrated. We feel that this vintage will rival the best ever from Daou Mountain.”
Soul of a Lion
Tasting notes: The 2017 vintage displays richness, elegance, and balance—the hallmarks of a superb growing season that allowed for extended ripening. A deep, complex bouquet reveals notes of cassis, black currant, licorice, incense, ripe plum, and vanilla. The palate is full-bodied, layered and complex, while smooth, silky tannins lead to a persistent finish.
Cultivation: Standing at an elevation of 2,200 feet in the Adelaida District, the terroir of Daou Mountain encompasses every natural asset necessary to pursue the perfect cabernet sauvignon—including calcareous clay soils that evoke Bordeaux’s right bank, a climate that closely corresponds to St. Helena in Napa, and slopes ranging from 28% to 56% in grade causing even ripening. Daou subscribes to true dry farming where possible, and deficit irrigation when needed—an approach that maximizes fruit intensity while conserving a precious resource. The uniquely high phenolics produced on the Mountain, specifically the most coveted blocks used in Soul of a Lion, yield wines of prodigious color, texture, and structure. Achieving this feat naturally ensures the wines are never acidified.
Crafting: This Bordeaux blend showcases all cabernet sauvignon has to offer with some assistance from cabernet franc and petit verdot. Daniel Daou supervises the coopering of his own proprietary French oak barrels. The Daou 5-Year barrel is made from a rare fine-grain pink oak known as Bois rosé, which imparts an array of complex yet subtle flavors to the Daou Soul of a Lion. Aged for 22 months, Soul of a Lion emerges ready to be enjoyed along with the structure to reward aging for many years ahead.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct that latest release of ‘Soul of a Lion’ is it’s 8th edition, not 6th.
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