2021 Jonata 'El Desafio de Jonata-The Defiance' Cabernet Sauvignon Ballard Canyon
Candied and dusty. Still tightly wound. Baking chocolate, black olive, cigar tobacco and cedar. Blackberry and black cherry alongside fennel and baking spices. Nutmeg and cinnamon. Scorched earth. Essence of cassis with cinnamon and scorched earth. A wine of class and mind-boggling intensity. Like the Alma, this is supremely concentrated, but remains light on its feet with freshness and lift. A luminous wine. Generous and giving, but with acid and structure to thrive in the cellar. Vinous and gently chalky. The finish is dominated by dense black fruit and an impressive inner perfume. Nothing out of place in this Desafio. Perfect vintage conditions meet deep-rooted mature vineyards. Stellar vintage in the same vein as 2018 and 2007. Luxardo cherry and sage.
That low rumbling sound you hear is Jonata’s (hoe-na-ta) rocket engines warming up for takeoff. Established as a cousin winery to Napa’s acclaimed Screaming Eagle, their first commercial vintage in 2004 caused a stir among mailing list cognoscenti. Then the momentum began to build in the trade. And then Robert Parker called them “one of California’s most exciting new wineries” in a review, and the floodgates blasted open with collectors and connoisseurs scrambling to find their wares. Folks, we’re thrilled to tell you where you can get them! As Robert Parker has remarked, “What they are accomplishing with Bordeaux varietals is mind-boggling.” We can’t really make it any easier for you…
Vinous
The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2021 El Desafio De Jonata (96% Cabernet Sauvignon along with splashes of Cabernet Franc and Merlot) is inky hued and boasts awesome notes of blackcurrants, leafy tobacco, sappy flowers, incense, and gravelly earth. With incredible purity, medium to full body, ripe yet substantial tannins, and a great core of beautiful fruit, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for 2-3 decades. It's that good.
Jeb Dunnuck
The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2021 El Desafio De Jonata (96% Cabernet Sauvignon along with splashes of Cabernet Franc and Merlot) is inky hued and boasts awesome notes of blackcurrants, leafy tobacco, sappy flowers, incense, and gravelly earth. With incredible purity, medium to full body, ripe yet substantial tannins, and a great core of beautiful fruit, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for 2-3 decades. It's that good.