2012 La Sangre de Jonata

Reminding me of a top Hermitage, the 2012 La Sangre de Jonata checks in as a blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier that's aged primarily in neutral and larger oak barrels. It's flat-out gorgeous in 2012 and gives up tons of black raspberry, crushed violets, cracked pepper and hints of game. Full-bodied, seamless, silky and fabulously pure, it has good acidity and fine tannin that come through on the finish. Give it a few years and enjoy bottles through 2032.|||Both the 2012s and 2013s from Jonata are superb, and this team excelled with both the Bordeaux and Rhone varieties. I think the 2013s have an extra layer of concentration and depth, with the Fenix being one of the greatest Merlots I have tasted from the region. It is from barrel, so nothing's set in stone, but this is a killer wine. The Cabernet Franc El Alma de Jonata and El Desafio aren’t far behind and are incredibly concentrated and rich. I suspect all of these will have two decades or more of longevity. As to the Syrahs, the La Sangre tastes like the essence of the variety, but is often so tannic in its youth it is almost undrinkable. The Todos is becoming more and more Syrah dominated and certainly is not far behind in terms of quality and is much (well, a little) more approachable on release. In short, you can’t go wrong at this estate and these are brilliant wines that check in near the top of the Santa Barbara hierarchy. Hat's off to winemaker Matt Dees and the rest of the team. eRobertParker.com.August, 2015