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Our Story

Born in 1998 out of a desire to explore and expand world-class winegrowing in Santa Barbara County, JONATA is an estate like no other. Set amongst the rolling hills in the moderate climate of the Ballard Canyon appellation in Santa Ynez Valley, the 600-acre site is home to 84 acres of certified organic vines and over 14 grape varieties planted mostly in Careaga sand. More than just a vineyard, most of the property consists of ancient oak trees, vegetable gardens, fruit orchards and a diverse variety of animal life. Through years of farming the estate at the highest standards, the winery team, led by long-time Winemaker Matt Dees, has tirelessly forged its own path. JONATA has gained recognition for making captivating wines that authentically express the estate’s vines, climate and distinctive soils.
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The Origins of JONATA

The word “JONATA” means “tall oak,” and is derived from the Chumash language; the Chumash have called the Santa Ynez Valley home for over 10,000 years. This land was later included in the 1845 Spanish land grant, Rancho San Carlos de Jonata, which covered a large portion of the Santa Ynez Valley. At the beginning of the 20th Century, a Danish community arrived in the area and established the nearby town of Solvang.

As a vineyard, JONATA was first established in 1998 when a group of wine enthusiasts acquired the 600-acre property with aspirations to create an iconic wine estate in Santa Barbara County. Several early decisions enabled JONATA to evolve into the estate it is today, notably the investment of E. Stanley Kroenke, who in 2008 became JONATA’s sole owner. With a strong entrepreneurial background and a deep appreciation for the great wines of the world, Kroenke encouraged a culture of excellence into the winery DNA, which was based on mutual trust, a talented winemaking team and a patient long-term dedication to land stewardship.

While Ballard Canyon has winemaking roots dating back to 1974, in 1998 when JONATA was established, a handful of pioneering grape-growers in the region were largely experimenting with Rhône varieties. This experimental viticultural period was concurrent with the early evolution of JONATA. After conducting hundreds of soil samples and consulting with numerous revered viticulturists, 84 acres within the JONATA estate were thoughtfully planted to 10 grape varieties, from origins ranging from Bordeaux to Rhone to the Mediterranean.

When it was time to select a winemaker for the first vintage in 2004, a 25-year-old up-and-comer named Matt Dees was recruited by consulting winemaker Andy Erickson. Already making a name for himself in Napa Valley, Dees came to wine while studying plant and soil science at the University of Vermont. After working with top winemakers in Napa Valley and New Zealand, he came to Santa Barbara with an explorative mind. Dees’ innate sense of curiosity and deep passion for the intricacies of the land made him a perfect fit for leading a wine estate which sought to forge an authentic path.

When JONATA released its debut vintage with the 2004 “El Desafio de Jonata” Cabernet Sauvignon and “La Sangre de Jonata” Syrah, it was confirmation that a great estate was well underway in the Central Coast, a Santa Barbara estate on top of sandy, maritime soil, producing (and blending) world-class Bordeaux varieties along with top notch Sangiovese and Syrah.

“When we sat down to taste the first wines in the spring of 2005, we were astonished by the initial quality,” recalls Dees. “We’ve made an infinite number of decisions since that day—some that forced us to learn, and some that were just lucky, but the unbelievable potential of JONATA was clear from the beginning. We knew we had something special which was in the same league (but different) as the great estates of the world.”

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