“The happiness we found on DAOU Mountain came from following our father’s example. Soul of a Lion is a tribute to the man who made it all possible.”
GEORGES & DANIEL DAOU
Soul of a Lion
The crown jewel of DAOU, and an emblem of our quest to produce unsurpassed Cabernet Sauvignon from the terroir of DAOU Mountain.
PASSIONATELY CURATED
Each bottle of Soul of a Lion represents a nine-year journey of passionate curation. This journey begins with rare bois rosé French oak barrels whose staves are seasoned in the elements for five years prior to coopering. The wine is then aged for nearly two years in these proprietary DAOU 5-Year barrels conceived by Winemaker Daniel Daou. Finally, it is held for extended bottle maturation prior to allocation — ensuring that each vintage has achieved perfection upon release.
A JEWEL OF ECOLOGICAL ELEMENTS
Hailed decades earlier as a “jewel of ecological elements” by legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff, DAOU Mountain was rediscovered by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou in 2007. Their quest for a sublime terroir ended here, on steep slopes that ascend to an elevation of 2,200 feet, all blessed with the type of calcareous clay soil found in the greatest appellations. The Adelaida District would soon become the world’s newest benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon.
ARTISTRY AND INNOVATION
Soul of a Lion is the masterwork of Winemaker Daniel Daou, who combines technical innovation with the touch of an artist. The fruit for Soul of a Lion is identified early and reverently tended through harvest. The berries are optically sorted to ensure pure fruit integrity, and the wine is made exclusively from free-run juice. During fermentation, Daniel employs proprietary phenolic management techniques to complement his own sensory expertise. The resulting wine displays a rare trifecta of power, density and elegance.