Tasting Notes
WSM94
A cool season punctuated by a blistering heat wave and October rains made 2010 a tough year for the Bordeaux varieties on Jonata’s Ballard Canyon estate. The team battled both shriveling and underripe fruit, and ended up bringing in their…
WA93
A tweaked blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petit Verdot and 11% Malbec, the 2010 El Desafio de Jonata is the most approachable of the lineup and offers up lovely wild herbs, cured meats, underbrush and spice as well as medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. It will hit maturity well before the other more Cabernet-dominated efforts, yet should still have a graceful evolution with upwards of 15 years or more of longevity. Drink now-2025.
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The Winery
Jonata
“This remarkable Santa Ynez estate is under the same ownership as Napa Valley’s Screaming Eagle winery… this is one of California’s most exciting new wineries. What they are accomplishing with Bordeaux varietals is mind-boggling.”
– Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
Jonata is a 600-acre property in Santa Barbara County with only 83 of those acres planted to vines. The name of the producer, previously owned by Charles Banks and Stanley Kroenke, comes from a Spanish land grant from the 1840s, Rancho San Carlos de Jonata. The first harvest was in 2004 under the direction of Winemaker Matt Dees who dedicated himself to produce excellent Syrah, Sangiovese, and Bordeaux varietals contrary to widespread skepticism. The winery is dedicated to sustainability as a way to continue to improve the heavily emphasized quality movement that has become popular in recent years for the California wine industry.
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