Jonata El Desafio Red Wine 2019 (75cl, 14.1%)

Jonata El Desafio Red Wine 2019 is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant red blend from Ballard Canyon, California, bottled at 14.1% ABV in a 750ml format. The blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Jonata farms estate vineyards in the Ballard Canyon AVA on Careaga Sand, an ancient soil formation that imparts pronounced minerality. El Desafio is aged in 80% new French oak and 20% neutral French oak using traditional 225-liter barriques. The nose opens with cassis and ripe blueberry, with florals, baking spice, lead pencil and cocoa. The palate is dense, with dark cherry, blackberry, resinous herbs, black pepper, crushed stone and iron minerality. The finish is long and structured, with smoked wood, earth and fine-grained tannins.