JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Based on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot from the Adelaida District and aged 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2023 Soul Of A Lion has a beautiful nose of cassis and darker assorted fruits intermixed with leafy tobacco, spring flowers, and damp herbs. It's beautifully balanced and medium to full-bodied on the palate, with ripe, polished tannins and a layered, seamless, incredibly polished, satisfying style. There are 8,200 cases. I love it today, yet it's going to cruise for 20 years. Drink 2026-2046.
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 95 POINTS - "Throughout my entire tasting at DAOU, Head Winemaker/General Manager José Alberto Moreira dos Santos was smiling from ear to ear. I don’t recall the last time I encountered someone so thrilled to present me with their wines. When I began tasting, it was immediately apparent why he was so pleased. The 2023s possess the polish, radiance and full-bodied richness that DAOU fans expect, but with a newfound, pure energy that elevates them even further."
"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."
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 95 POINTS - "Throughout my entire tasting at DAOU, Head Winemaker/General Manager José Alberto Moreira dos Santos was smiling from ear to ear. I don’t recall the last time I encountered someone so thrilled to present me with their wines. When I began tasting, it was immediately apparent why he was so pleased. The 2023s possess the polish, radiance and full-bodied richness that DAOU fans expect, but with a newfound, pure energy that elevates them even further."
"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."
