Daou Vineyards Patrimony Caves De Lions Red Blend Adelaida District 2019

52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Cabernet Franc. A stunning marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. One cannot but be taken by the ber-dark color of this wine. Yet when the first sip is taken, an unexpected profile emerges from the glass with elegance and freshness accompanied by a wealth of minerality. The nose explodes with aromas of cassis, cured meats, coffee, licorice, dark chocolate and spice. This full-bodied and flawlessly balanced wine will keep you thinking for a long time with a finish that does not stop. Alcohol 14.9%.

Critical Acclaim

99 Wine Advocate

The 2019 Caves des Lions is a blend of free-run Cabernet Sauvignon (52%) and Cabernet Franc (48%) matured for 22 months in 100% new French oak and bottled in December of 2021. Opaque ruby in color, it has layered aromas of blackcurrant, lilac, graphite, fried savory herbs and game meats. The full-bodied palate is powerful yet balanced, its restrained, mineral-laced fruit complemented by mouthwatering acidity, and it boasts a long, graceful finish. Harmonious and latent, it will demand plenty of patience as it unwinds in bottlethe Patrimony wines tend to age at a glacial pace.

98 Vinous

Wildly spicy and intense yet lifted, the 2019 Patrimony Caves Des Lions wafts up with an array of pepper-tinged wildflowers, spiced exotic tea, dusty dried herbs and red currant. A pretty inner sweetness up front accentuates its silken textures, further elevated by citrus and mineral nuances. Ripe red and black fruits resonate throughout. This finishes incredibly fresh yet structured, lingering impossibly long. Through it all, a tinge of residual acids maintains remarkable freshness.

98 Jeb Dunnuck

More cassis, crushed stone, graphite, and chocolate emerge from the 2019 Caves Des Lions, and it’s beautifully textured, with full-bodied richness, building yet ripe, polished tannins, a gorgeous mid-palate, and one heck of a great finish. For all its richness and depth, it stays lively, fresh, and weightless, and its a beautiful wine.

97 James Suckling

Deep and fragrant nose with a lift of currant leaf freshness to the cassis, nori, Spanish chocolate, roasted jalapeo pepper, sumptuous blackberries and some cigar box. Full-bodied and compact on the palate with firm but ultra-fine tannins here that are powerful but not grippy. Long and juicy. 52% cabernet sauvignon and 48% cabernet franc.