ROAR with us… A new Soul of a Lion is here.

The 2023 is a brand-new release (March 2026) and we have the LOWEST price anywhere. We received special permission for today only to run this at $125. We only got a little bit (HOPE we get more), but with the huge 99 points already…just saying..get it while you can!

99 Points - Tasting Panel - “A majestic red that comes in with a roar, gentled by its poise and presence.”

We were at the winery in May. One of the GREAT perks of doing what we do. And while we were there, we heard a story.

You know we love a good BLIND story. They called it the Judgment of Paso. They invited a famous critic to the winery (which took a lot of convincing, because who has time to go to Paso and taste one wine?) After months of back and forth, that critic brought 5 Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa; this was essentially a put your money where your mouth is moment…He brought MURDER ROW! Screaming Eagle. Schrader. Dominus. Hundred Acre. Opus One.

DAOU’s Patrimony, now under its own label, but same mountain, same fruit, same winemaking philosophy, got put blind against Napa’s MURDER ROW.…It came in second, behind Hundred Acre.

The consensus…watch out NAPA…PASO has landed! It will no longer be known for zinfandel, Rhône reds and odd varietals. What the critics noticed is that Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso is just as good as Napa and in some cases…. better! Look at the scores…

That’s Daniel Daou’s program. And this wine: Daou Soul of a Lion comes from the same mountain, the same obsession, the same dirt. Antonio Galloni’s Vinous said it plainly: “No expense has been spared by the Daou family in their pursuit to show that this region deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Napa when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. To my mind, they are succeeding, heartily.”

This vintage runs higher with Cab Franc than previous years, and for you Cab Franc junkies, that is very good news. It weaves through the whole glass keeping everything lifted, precise, and alive.

95 Points - Vinous writes, ”The balance here will carry this beauty for years in the cellar.”

The nose shouted out HELLO and WELCOME! Bright and lively with Lingon berries, black cherries, sage, dried flowers really pull you in! And when it hits your palate… It’s powerful, full bodied, densely compacted with a flavor array of boysenberry, brush and dried wildflower, coffee, elderberry, green peppercorns and a thread of pomegranate weaving throughout (YAY Cab Franc) that ties everything together.

The tannins have grip, but they are polished giving way to just a beautiful silky lingering finish. This wine shows nicely right out of the bottle with about 15 minutes in your glass, but it kept getting better the more we drank 😀 and the more we drank, the more we fell in love with it. This would be a great wine to be selfish with or cellar!

As we mentioned… in the jungle, the mighty jungle, the Lion drops tonight. Just today. Winery-approved price. $125.

99 Points - Tasting Panel - “Velvet-lioned tannins manage to have the power to hold on to teeth and palate. A majestic red that comes in with a roar, gentled by its poise and presence. The blend of 76% Cabernet, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot exhibits notes of graphite, violets, blackberry, tobacco, and coffee bean. It’s power levels off to a refined, harnessed purr for an ideal finish.”

95 Points - Vinous - “The 2023 Soul of a Lion Estate Collection is spicy in the glass, cascading up with an array of dried flowers, ground clove, incense, spiced blood orange and crushed raspberries. It displays radiance and a cool-toned feel despite its power and concentration, as masses of sour cherry and blueberry mingle over a wave of pure silk. A cascade of violet pastille lingers over a web of fine grained tannins as the 2023 finishes long, staining, structured and already quite approachable. The balance here will carry this beauty for years in the cellar.”