2018 Patrimony Estates ''Caves des Lions'' Red Blend, Paso Robles, California, USA

In the Santa Lucia Mountains west of Paso Robles is a gem cut from the rough of the coastal forest, ascending into the skyline with pyramidal grace. This is DAOU Mountain, in the Adelaida District.

Patrimony is rooted in the mountain's unmatched alchemy of soil, aspect and climate, and realized through meticulous vinification of the vineyard rows. The phenolics produced here are known to be among the highest in the world, fostering an immensity of color, depth and structure that is only enhanced by the rigorous viticulture required to make Patrimony.

Patrimony fruit undergoes state-of-the-art optical sorting to ensure absolute flavor integrity. Fermentation proceeds exclusively with wild yeasts cultured from DAOU Mountain, imbuing the wine with native texture and character. The wine is made entirely from free-run juice. Maturation unfolds for 30 months in rare French oak barrels prized for their fine grain and distinctive elegance. Only after further aging in the bottle for one year do all of these aspects coalesce into complete symmetry.

Hailing from Lebanon by way of Paris, France, Georges and Daniel Daou moved to the United States as young men and soon achieved business success. But that was just the beginning. From their family history and worldview was now imagined a fearless goal—to produce the world’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon, and to curate a lifestyle to match. From terroir to winemaking to architecture, they leave no detail unexplored, so that this wine, and this place, may never fail to astonish.