Winemaker Notes
Explosive brambles. Ripe red raspberry and essence of blackberry, Shiro plum, and cedar. Approachable today with a massive wall of fruit. Structured and upright. Blackcurrant and a hint of baking spice. Dark chocolate/cocoa tannins. Expansive on the palate, much like the Alma, but with more breadth from the merlot. Generous and supple. Salty and espresso-like. Very sincere expression of merlot from the Jonata property with its balance between expansive black fruit and dusty, lingering, gentle tannins. Rich and suave, with an earthy bay leaf edge. Reminiscent of 2012 and 2013 in its magnitude and expression of fruit.
Blend: 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Fenix is based on 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the final 3% Cabernet Franc. It has classic Merlot darker cherry and currant fruits as well as some chocolate, herb, and leafy tobacco-like nuances that pick up a floral edge with time in the glass. It's beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, has a round, layered, lush mouthfeel, and ripe tannins. This upfront, sexy, seamless Merlot will shine for 10-15 years if well stored.
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Vinous
The 2022 Fenix, Jonata's Merlot-based blend, is exceptional. Inky, dark and explosive, the 2022 packs a serious punch. Readers will find a wine of impressive vertical intensity and pure power. The 2022 is very young, and yet it very clearly has a bright future ahead.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Fenix presents an extremely dark hue in the glass, introducing a pure and clean bouquet of red plums, cocoa powder and dried herbs. The mouthfeel is rich yet remarkably elegant, concluding with a bright, stiff finish framed by powdery tannins and a lush, chocolate-driven core.
Jonata is the embodiment of land, soul, and people coming together for a common goal; to produce singular wines from a singular place.
Land – Jonata is a stunning 600 acre property, with 80 acres of estate vineyard on golden rolling hills in Ballard Canyon. High concentrations of Careaga sand run through the estate. A challenging landscape for cultivation and a key element to the qualities of Jonata, pushing our vines to drive deep in search of nutrients.
Soul – Timeless and diverse practices are in place to create health and community at Jonata. Polyface farming practices are implemented to create a diverse and sustainable ecosystem, utilizing a blend of sustainable practices that continue to build the health of Jonata.
People – Since 2004, a consistent team remains at the core. Winemaker Matt Dees & Vineyard manager Ruben Solorzano combine their experiences in winemaking, soil science and farming expertise to help Jonata thrive.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Accounting for only ten percent of the greater Santa Ynez AVA, Ballard Canyon’s north-south orientation provides an ideal pattern of sunshine and martime fog for producing excellent Syrah. While Syrah is planted to half of the total AVA acreage, an additional third is dedicated to other Rhône varieties, red and white.