Winemaker Notes
Another classic Jonata Cabernet Sauvignon with red fruit and fresh green herbs; cassis and the refined earthy qualities that make Jonata unique in this world. Focused and pure black fruit on the attack with an added intensity in 2016. A wine of tremendous freshness. Balsamic and tobacco. Like 95% cacao chocolate with hints of fresh mint. Power like the epic 2015, but with more freshness and perhaps even more impact. A statuesque and chiseled Cabernet with chewy tannin and a powerful backbone of acidity.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, the 2016 El Desafio de Jonata is one of the more firm, focused wines in the lineup. Classic Cabernet blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and crushed rock-like notes all flow to a concentrated, powerful, tannic wine that has considerable baby fat as well as length. It's not going to hit prime time until after a decade of bottle age, but it's a beautiful, remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon from Santa Barbara County that will keep for two decades.
Rating: 96+ -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 El Desafio de Jonata is made up of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged in 85% new French oak. It has a deep ruby-black color and classic nose of cedar, pencil shavings, chocolate box and tobacco with cassis, wild blackberries, plum and damp earth. Full-bodied, it gives up luscious fruits in the mouth with savory and minerally accents, framed by firm, pleasantly chewy tannins and good freshness to lift, finishing long. 575 cases will be released this fall.
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.