10th Anniversary Soul of a Lion

It’s no secret that Paso Robles’ DAOU Family Estates is one of my favorite wine producers and I’m not alone – wine enthusiasts and critics alike have sung the praises of DAOU’s award-winning wines. It’s one of the world’s leading estates for Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ted Scheffler

July 21, 2023

This spring, brothers and DAOU co-proprietors Georges and Daniel Daou proudly announced the 10th-anniversary release of their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon: Soul of a Lion.

“Soul of a Lion represents the journey that first brought our family to DAOU Mountain,” said Georges Daou, Co-Proprietor of DAOU Family Estates. “Our father endowed us with the passion, courage, and perseverance to pursue our dreams, qualities which we honor each year with this exceptional wine. We’re proud to celebrate our 10th anniversary of Soul of a Lion in the spirit of joy that has made this such a triumph for our family.”

“Our goal for Soul of a Lion has always been to realize the amazing potential of DAOU Mountain to craft the very best Cabernet Sauvignon,” said Winemaker and Proprietor Daniel Daou. “2020 Soul of a Lion captures the essence of the Adelaida District and is an exceptional tribute to our 10-year journey with this wine.” The 2020 vintage showcases the elegance and power that have made Soul of a Lion a benchmark for excellence. Daou crafts the wine from a meticulous parcel selection from DAOU Mountain, planted at an elevation of 2,200 feet on a 212-acre mountaintop, characterized by the ideal soils, microclimate, and elevation for Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals. With its deep ruby color and complex aromas of blackberry, cassis, and graphite, Soul of a Lion delivers a rich and balanced palate of dark fruit, velvety tannins, and a long, satisfying finish.”

I was fortunate to be able to taste this fine Cabernet recently from DAOU and I would pair it with braised or grilled meats, roasted lamb chops, hearty stews like beef bourguignon, or splurge and sip it with Kobe beef.

Food & Drink, Sips, Utah Bites, Wine, Spirits and Beer

Ted Scheffler

Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine, and travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, music, and reading, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers. Ted is also the author of the Utah Bites newsletter, which is published in partnership with Utah Stories. Before moving to Utah, Ted lived in New York City, and numerous states in the US, as well as in various countries overseas, Spain, Japan, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. He earned a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from the Graduate Faculty of The New School for Social Research.