2021 El Desafio de Jonata
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Tasting notes
As deep and rich as it is graceful and elegant, the 2021 El Desafio de Jonata is a yardstick for Bordeaux varieties in Santa Barbara County. As with much of the lineup, the nose is modern and glossy yet retains vibrancy and fantastic nuance, combining aromas of chocolate cake, gravel dust, oiled leather, dried herbs and dark spices. On the palate, it is immensely rich and supple with great concentration yet always buoyed by a high-toned, focused lift that is rare in wines of this style. The palate is lumbering in its richness yet incisive in its attack, effortlessly delivering layer after layer of decadence tempered with chalky, linear focus. This is produced with 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2021 El Desafio de Jonata is quite high in Cabernet Sauvignon (96%) in this vintage, and that is exactly what comes through. Dark fruit, tobacco, incense, scorched earth, minerals and dried herbs all race across the palate. Calistoga meets Saint-Estèphe in Ballard Canyon. El Desafio is one of the most impressive wines I tasted this year in Santa Barbara. I can't wait to see how it ages.
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.
The 2021 El Desafio de Jonata is quite high in Cabernet Sauvignon (96%) in this vintage, and that is exactly what comes through. Dark fruit, tobacco, incense, scorched earth, minerals and dried herbs all race across the palate. Calistoga meets Saint-Estèphe in Ballard Canyon. El Desafio is one of the most impressive wines I tasted this year in Santa Barbara. I can't wait to see how it ages.
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.