Winemaker Notes
Such a specific Todos aromatic combination and an evocative lift that will take you directly to the JONATA property. Deeply dark and brimming with succulent black fruit. Dried strawberry, ripe plum, dried fig, fine aged balsamic and mulberries. Enlivened by cooling green herbs and piqued by an entire cupboard of spices. Incense and blood orange. Sleek and suave and
hydrated. Black pepper and biltong join the mélange with air and time in the glass. Cacao nibs and Szechuan chiles arrive on day two. A cooling sensation. So much pleasure from the beautiful partnership of fine, chalky tannins and concentrated essence of wild blueberry that pushes the finish to such great heights. Classic Todos from an impeccable vintage. Ripe fruit, ripe tannins and energy that is palpable.
Blend: 66% Syrah, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Sirah, 2% Merlot, 2% Miscellaneous red & white varietals
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A big, gorgeous and full-bodied wine. It's syrah-based, with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and other red grape varieties blended in. So dark, deep and robust, with blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and chocolate accents. Drink or hold.
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Decanter
The 2021 Jonata Todos Vineyard Red Blend delivers a smooth and inviting drinking experience, brimming with enticing aromas and flavours of pomegranate, cherry, red liquorice, vanilla, grilled herbs, and lilacs. Medium to full-bodied, it features velvety tannins layered with notes of cool, wet slate and subtle hints of truffle salt, all leading to a tart, dry finish. This blend comprises 66% Syrah, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Sirah, and 2% Merlot, aged for 20 months in 30% new French oak. Crafted by winemaker Matt Dees, it showcases elegance, depth, and a harmonious balance of fruit and savoury elements.
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Jeb Dunnuck
As always, the 2021 Todos is a Syrah-heavy kitchen sink blend that also includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot, and more. Pure blackberries, spring flowers, freshly ground pepper, leather, and graphite all emerge from the glass, and it's a ripe, powerful, structured red that needs 2-3 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully over the following decade.
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Vinous
The 2021 Todos is a very serious wine, in fact the 2021 might be the best Todos ever. Savory, dark and expressive, the 2021 possesses remarkable depth and intensity. The wild, meaty personality of Syrah really dominates the blend at this stage. What a wine! Best of all, Todos remains a fabulous value.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Always a fascinating combination of fun, serious and perplexing, the 2021 Todos, as per usual, combines all varieties planted on Jonata's Ballard Canyon property and ages them for 20 months in 30% new French oak. The nose offers intense, complex aromas of charred black fruits, sweet blue fruits, dried herbs, burning incense and asphalt, to name a few. The palate is extraordinarily dense, compacted and nearly sweet in its staining, seemingly limitless saturation. It closes on a lavish yet savory note, chock-full of grippy, drying tannins that ultimately outweigh the fruit concentration.
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.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.