Inky and monumental edition of Desafio. Cassis, bay leaf, rosemary, incense, ripe mulberry and new leather. Mint and dark chocolate. Simultaneously suave and then chewy. Ultra fine tannins. Scorched earth and a multitude of dried herbs. A brooding and overtly dark blend today. Snapshot of this noble grape in a near perfect vintage. So concentrated and intense. Cacao and black plum skin. Luxardo cherry and freshly opened tin of Illy espresso. Saturates the palate with black fruit, dusty tannin and a refreshing savory character. Just getting started...long, long road ahead. Reminiscent of the remarkable 2015 in its youth with potentially more flesh and density! Remains fresh and so sincere to the JONATA sandy soils.
- Matt Dees, Winemaker
2023 El Desafio de JONATA Cabernet Sauvignon "The Defiance"
Varietal:
98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot
Vineyard:
JONATA Estate, Ballard Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley
Ageing:
20 months in 70% new French oak, 30% twice used French oak
Alcohol:
14.1%
Case Production:
1,002
96+ Points
The 2023 El Desafio de Jonata includes the highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon this blend has ever seen (98), and it shows. Muscular, chiseled, dark-toned and still just a sketch of itself, the 2023 brims with intensity and monumental concentration. The Desafio shows undeniable finesse and polish, but it is tightly wound and unyielding today. This is a wine for the patient, with years of rewarding evolution ahead.
Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2025
98+ Points
A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot aged 20 months in 70% new French oak, the 2023 El Desafio De Jonata is reticent and inward, with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of red and black currants, spicy wood, graphite, and smoked tobacco, with a beautiful violet character developing with air. Reminding me of a great vintage of Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, it's concentrated, has a structured, regal mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It's going to have 30 years of overall longevity. Drink 2025-2055.
Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com, September 2025
99 Points
This is a gorgeous expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Ballard Canyon but distinctly Jonata in its elegance, structure, and complexity, layered with savory tobacco leaf, sage powder, a touch of white pepper, and cassis—alongside the fresh, wild currant character of New England. On the palate, the wine is extraordinary, with firm, sinewy, chocolatey tannins that are muscular and broad-shouldered. These resolve into dark berry-driven tones, with more cassis and currant fruit layered over a deep, saline mineral tension. Expressive notes of dried rose petals unfurl through a finish that is long, long, long.
Jonathan Cristaldi, Cristaldi & Co., May 2025
