Jonata "La Sangre de Jonata" Syrah 2022
(Ballard Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley, California) - [VM 97] [JD 96]

About the Winery:
The Jonata winery takes its name from the 1845 Spanish land grant, Rancho San Carlos de Jonata, as well as the Chumash word for “live oak” or “tall oak.” The Estate vineyard was planted in 2000 in the Southwest corner of what would become the Ballard Canyon Appellation in 2013. The terroir of Jonata property is unique to this site, comprised of eight hundred feet deep Careaga sands. These sands are extremely calcareous, retain almost no water and are virtually devoid of nutrients. In fact, these soils are so poor and the site so unique that the property was thought to be unfit for grape growing.

In 'desafio' (defiance) of this conception, vineyard manager Ruben Solorzano hedged his bets and planted the eighty acres of vineyards to a potpourri of different grape varietals. The original planting was made with Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Syrah and, more recently, Grenache and Viognier — the Grenache was later ripped out and replaced with Petit Syrah. Today there are only twenty acres of Cabernet Franc and nine acres of Merlot in the entire Ballard Canyon Appellation, so to say that Jonata was bucking the trends would be an understatement to say the least!

About this Wine:
The grapes come from the Jonata Estate in Ballard Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley, and the blend is almost entirely Syrah, with a smidge of Viognier in the classic Northern Rhone style. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 30% new French oak, with the remaining 70% neutral.

Ratings & Reviews

97 Points - Vinous Media:
“The 2022 La Sangre de Jonata is now mostly sourced from own-rooted vines. A stellar wine, the 2022 races across the palate, showing exceptional textural intensity and mind-blowing balance. Inky red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol, licorice and plum infuse the 2022 with captivating depth and dimension. The long, sustained finish adds to the wine’s allure.” – Antonio Galloni (Aug 2024)

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
“The 2022 La Sangre De Jonata is just about all Syrah yet includes 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Viognier. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts a gorgeous nose of blackberries, darker raspberries, sage, violets, and ground pepper. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly well-balanced, with building yet fine tannins, it's a more elegant and seamless expression of the cuvée yet still brings incredible richness, flawless integration of its fruit, tannins, and acidity, and a great finish. Drink bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years.” (Aug 2024)