2013 Jonata El Desafio de Jonata
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Tasting notes
The 2013 El Desafio de Jonata checks in as a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and the rest Merlot all aged 20 months in 80% new French oak. Reminiscent of a First Growth from Pauillac, it gets a big wow in the notes and offers sensational notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, damp herbs, and charcoal. Full-bodied, massively concentrated, fresh and impeccably balanced, it's up with the 2007 as the greatest vintage of this cuvée to date. Based out of Ballard Canyon and run by superstar winemaker Matt Dees (Michel Rolland also consults here), Jonata makes a bevy of brilliant wines from Rhône, Bordeaux, and Burgundian varieties. The El Desafio de Jonata release is the Cabernet Sauvignon-based release, and it normally includes upwards of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The elevage is in plenty of new oak, yet I rarely find any noticeable oak in the cuvee. The 2005 is just now entering its prime drink window, and this is unquestionably one of the longest-lived cuvees coming out of Santa Barbara today.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Another wine that needs to be forgotten for at least 4-6 years is the 2013 El Desafio de Jonata. Made from mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and a splash of Merlot, this full-bodied, inky colored wine offers beautiful aromatics of ripe black fruits, lead pencil, tobacco leaf and smoked herbs. Possessing a great mid-palate, ripe tannin and a great finish, it should be at its best from 2020-2040.
The Cabernet Sauvignon-based 2013 El Desafio de Jonata is deep, powerful and implosive. A massive, dark wine, the 2013 Desafio exudes richness. Today, it is a brooding beast, but there is so much density in the glass just waiting to open up. Graphite, smoke, licorice, menthol, blackberry jam, grilled herbs, smoke and licorice are some of the many notes that shape the majestic, towering finish. In 2013, the blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot.
About the producer
Jonata is amongst a handful of truly exciting wineries from Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara – a unique fine wine region of incredible versatility.