Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
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 cabernet sauvignon, franc, petit verdot and merlot on a single day between two rainstorms, cherry picking the healthiest clusters and making a single co-ferment. The franc shows up here as herbal nuance and savory tobacco tones, while petit verdot is evident in the wine’s cracked black peppercorn grip. But the wine is mostly about Jonata, showing the dark meatiness of grapes grown on the estate’s sandy hillside soils. In this case, seen through the lens of a cool year, the expression is as restrained as it is muscular—the tannins fine and resolute, sculpted to a graphite clarity. Already complex, this is a fragrant and deeply mineral wine for the long haul.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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.
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.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.