2005 El Desafio de Jonata
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2005 El Desafio de Jonata sports a deep ruby color with just a touch of lightening at the rim. It's a big, rich, slightly rustic effort that offers tons of blackcurrant, blackberries, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and licorice aromas and flavors. Big, rich, mouthfilling and textured on the palate, with chalky minerality on the finish, it's drinking in the early to middle stages of its drink window, where it should stay for another decade or two. 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
Average Score
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Josh Raynolds, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Made from a classic northern Medoc blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (93%) and Merlot as well as Petit Verdot, the 2005 El Desafio de Jonata boasts an inky/purple color as well as a moderately intense nose of forest floor, earth, blackberries, creme de cassis, licorice, and incense. Full-bodied and powerful, with high but sweet, well-integrated tannins, this cuvee builds incrementally on the palate (it is full-bodied), but displays wonderful freshness, vibrancy, and precision. Another tour de force in winemaking, it should drink effortlessly for 15+ years.
Made from a classic northern Medoc blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (93%) and Merlot as well as Petit Verdot, the 2005 El Desafio de Jonata boasts an inky/purple color as well as a moderately intense nose of forest floor, earth, blackberries, creme de cassis, licorice, and incense. Full-bodied and powerful, with high but sweet, well-integrated tannins, this cuvee builds incrementally on the palate (it is full-bodied), but displays wonderful freshness, vibrancy, and precision. Another tour de force in winemaking, it should drink effortlessly for 15+ years. This remarkable Santa Ynez estate is under the same ownership as Napa Valley’s Screaming Eagle winery. While well-known Bordeaux consultant, Michel Rolland, and Screaming Eagle’s winemaker, Andy Erickson, play important roles at Jonata, the people most responsible for the quality of the wines are owners Charles Banks, Stan Kroenke, and winemaker Matt Dees. Jonata’s debut vintage, the 2004s, were somewhat of a work in progress, but the 2005s convincingly established what compelling wines were about to emerge. The 2006s and a handful of 2007 barrel samples I tasted suggest this is one of California’s most exciting new wineries. What they are accomplishing with Bordeaux varietals is mind-boggling. I have included these cuvees since some of the blends include Rhone varietals. Tel. (805) 564-8581
(93% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot and 2% petit verdot) Opaque ruby. Pungent cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complicated by exotic floral and Indian spice qualities. Bitter cherry and dark chocolate flavors gain sweetness with air, fleshing out and carrying through a long, sappy finish. Manages to be lush and sweet but also poised, offering an impressive balancing act of tannins and ripeness. This has excellent hang time. This, too, is much more impressive than the maiden 2004 release.
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.