98pts 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 a 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.
97pts Jeb Dunnuck
The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated cuvée from this incredible estate is the 2020 El Desafio De Jonata, and it’s stunningly good, with pure crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and chalky mineral-like aromas and flavors that develop beautifully with time in the glass. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it stays tight and compact on the palate, with ripe tannins, a good sense of freshness, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years and will evolve for over two decades.
97pts Decanter
An intensely excellent and savoury Syrah from the Ballard Canyon. While dark purple in hue, this wine has an absolute brooding darkness that surpasses the colour. An explosion of savoury umami character and smoky depths announces the aromatics. The aromatics are myriad: dried violets, white peppercorn, and bay leaf and burnt ends are accented by bass notes of smoked soy sauce and grilled mushrooms. The palate shows a core of dark fruit enveloped by savoury richness and smoked sea salt and soy sauce, leaning towards charred meat, hot embers and a smokiness of breathing in frankincense. It’s a wonderfully elaborate orchestration of taste and smell, hedonistic and intellectual at once.
