2022 Daou Soul of a Lion
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Tasting notes
Cut from the same cloth as the 2021, yet slightly sunnier and more upfront, the 2022 Soul Of A Lion reveals red and black currants, spicy oak, flowers, and violet nuances. A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged 30 months in 100% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied and shows slightly more oak influence, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles a year or two and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047. Daou Vineyards continues to make some of the finest Bordeaux blends in California. Their 2022s show the hotter style of the vintage yet stay beautifully balanced, with sound structure and depth. They’re better than most 2022s from Napa, and these are well worth your time and money.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Full bottle 1,759 g. Deep purple, edging towards ruby. A cloak of bourbon vanilla oak over jammy blackberry and blueberry fruit, with a hint of mintiness. The alcohol is well integrated and the acid is well balanced against the richness and round yet chewy tannin. If you like a blockbuster, this is it. Promises to age well. (SCJ)
The 2022 Soul Of A Lion is a barrel sample of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot maturing for 22 months in 100% new French oak. It has deep aromas of cassis and baked plums with accents of cocoa powder, violet and aniseed. The full-bodied palate is plush and grainy with concentrated fruit, just enough balancing freshness and a long, floral finish.
The 2022 Soul of a Lion is distinctly savory in the glass, as a dark and brooding mix of dusty blackcurrants, dried rosemary and crushed stone forms its bouquet. Silken and pliant in feel, a wave of mineral-inflected red and black fruits slowly drenches the palate in youthful poise. An air of lavender mingles with baking spice and plum. The 2022 finishes long and structured, leaving black-tea-like tannins offset by a bump of residual acidity. The Soul of a Lion is an unqualified success of the vintage.