Winemaker Notes
Still a bit shy when first poured in the glass hinting at more expansion in the decade(s) to come. With 10 minutes time, it begins to express itself... loudly. Mulberry, creosote, rosemary, bay leaf, dried wild blueberry and green peppercorn. A wonderful combination of brooding dark berries, resinous pine forest notes and a succulent savory edge. Still forming, this wine is wonderfully wild and evocative of walking through the sandy dunes covered in spring flowers at JONATA. Not a shrinking violet, but also certainly not a monolith. Its layers and different voices are impossible to ignore. It is all so concentrated and coiled. Delicious and perfectly raw. Fine grit on the finish that quickly gives way to a steam train of velvet fruit. A penetrating and deep Sangre.
Blend: 98% Syrah, 2% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2020 La Sangre de Jonata, the estate's Syrah, is another profoundly beautiful, mesmerizing wine. Over the years, the Sangre has gained tremendously in precision, a combination of the vines getting older and also move towards picking earlier and generally pushing the wine less. The result is Syrah that sizzles with saline energy, power and vertical intensity. Ripe red fruit, pomegranate, blood orange and incense all soar out of the glass. I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle any time soon, as the 2020 is very primary and undeveloped. Its stature, however, is impossible to miss.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Lastly, the 2020 La Sangre De Jonata (98% Syrah and 2% Viognier) is another stunner, revealing a dense purple hue as well as rock star notes of crème de cassis, blackberry jam, scorched earth, graphite, and spring flowers. Pure, full-bodied, and flawlessly balanced, with beautiful tannins, it's approachable today yet will benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and keep for 15+. It's a brilliant Syrah.
Rating: 97+
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.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
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.