2020 Soul of a Lion
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Tasting notes
81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak. Deep opaque ruby in colour. Blackberry, blueberry, light pyrazine – dried thyme, dried sage. Gravel dust. Fresh acidity. Chewy muscular tannin is mouth-coating and large. A bit of mintiness to the finish. Deftly made. (SCJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Soul of a Lion Estate is a deep, dark, nearly impenetrable ruby color. It has a beguiling bouquet that blends spicy dried flowers, cardamon and red currants. Sweet smoke hints add lift. This flows like pure silk without a single edge in sight. Guided by juicy acidity, textural waves of wild berry fruits soothe the palate. For all of its power and depth, the 2020 finishes remarkably fresh. It’s tannic, yet they are sweet and perfectly formed in a harmonious concentration that tugs at the senses yet never tires them out. The cellaring potential here is off the charts.
The 2020 Soul Of A Lion, made from free-run juice, is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot matured for 22 months in 100% new French oak. It has a deep ruby color and pure aromas of blackcurrants, tobacco, truffle and thyme with touches of leather and graphite. The full-bodied palate has a pleasantly rustic texture and savory character, finishing with tobacco accents. Drink it over the next 3-5 years.
The 2020 Soul Of A Lion is tighter and more backward than the 2019 (which was also tight and focused at this stage as well), offering lots of ripe black fruits, new leather, mineral, and iron nuances to go with a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, structured style on the palate. It's unquestionably a beautiful, outstanding wine.