2023 La Flor de Jonata

Based on 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon, the 2023 Flor offers ripe lemon curd, minty flowers, and a kiss of pineapple on the nose. It's medium-bodied, bright, lively, and balanced on the palate, with integrated acidity and outstanding length. It's a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc that I suspect will keep for at least 7-8 years. Drink 2025-2033. Jonata continues to produce some of the most compelling wines not only in Ballard Canyon and Santa Barbara County, but all of California. The lineup includes seven wines, starting with Flor, a Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend, and moving through a range of reds that include both Bordeaux and Rhône varieties. The Tierra, made from 100% Sangiovese, has seen remarkable improvement over the past decade and now shows an incredible level of finesse and elegance. The Bordeaux program is particularly strong, with El Alma de Jonata (Cabernet Franc-based), Fenix (Merlot-based), and El Desafio de Jonata (Cabernet Sauvignon-based) all showing world-class quality. The Todos functions as something of an entry-level blend, combining Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Bordeaux varieties (I’ll often call it a kitchen-sink blend), though calling it entry-level sells it short given the quality. La Sangre de Jonata, the estate's flagship Syrah, ranks among the finest expressions of the variety in California. These wines consistently demonstrate the balance between power and elegance that defines all great wines. While these are approachable young, most will benefit from cellaring and have the structure to age for decades.

The 2023 Flor bursts with explosive floral character that saturates every corner of the palate. Salty, juicy and mouthwatering, it weaves together notes of mint, cream, chamomile and bread dough yeastiness with ultra-ripe yellow plum, all heightened by tingly, mouthwatering acids. This is Sauvignon Blanc dialed up to eleven—pure, electric and impossible to ignore. Of note, the 2023 includes 3% Assyrtiko from the estate, which lends the wine a healthy kick of phenolic bitterness.