Tasting Kit Includes 1 bottle each of the following wines:
Syrah "La Sangre de Jonata", Jonata, Santa Ynez Valley, 2018
97pts Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 La Sangre De Jonata (91% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah, and 3% Viognier) sports a similar dense purple hue as well as stunning blueberry and blackberry fruits intermixed with awesome graphite, ground pepper, liquid violet, and iron-like aromas and flavors. Stunningly pure, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has the more focused, structured style of this estate front and center as well as incredible purity and a finish that won't quit. This is brilliant all the way, and while it has some appeal today, it will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and, I suspect, have two decades of overall longevity.
Cabernet Sauvignon, "El Desafio de Jonata", Ballard Canyon, CA, 2018
97pts Jeb Dunnuck
Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 El Desafio de Jonata has a big Cabernet nose of tobacco leaf and truffly earth as well as beautiful dark fruits, a touch of chocolate, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannin, and a great finish. The balance, polish, and elegance here, paired with plenty of concentration, is superb.
Red Blend "Fenix", Jonata, Santa Ynez Valley, CA, 2019
95pts Vinous
The 2019 Fenix is painfully young. Then again, it was just bottled a few weeks before this tasting. It is unusually tight for a Merlot-based red. That's probably a very good thing for the future. In this tasting, the 2019 is a bundle of energy. I can't wait to taste it in another 6-12 months. There is plenty of verve here, not to mention tons of class.
