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Tasting notes
Scheduled to be bottled shortly after this tasting, the 2020 Fenix sports a deep purple hue to go with a rocking bouquet of blueberries, ripe cherries, scorched earth, chocolate, and graphite. This plump, full-bodied, plush, sexy Merlot has great tannins, no hard edges, and outstanding length. The talented winemaking team of Matt Dees and Drew Pickering continue to keep Jonata near the top of the pyramid in Santa Barbara County. Pulling all from their estate vineyard in Ballard Canyon, which is mostly sandy soils, they make a wealth of wines, yet the quality is spectacular across the board. In general, the wines are a touch more polished and approachable today than in the past (which I think is a good thing), and while they’ll still benefit from bottle age, they offer plenty of pleasure in their youth.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Fenix, nearly all Merlot for the very first time, is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted from Jonata. Dark, rich and bursting with pure unbridled energy, the Fenix is shaping up to be tremendous. Black cherry, licorice, chocolate and new leather saturate the palate. The 2020 is so impressive. I tasted it from tank just prior to bottling.
About the producer
Jonata is amongst a handful of truly exciting wineries from Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara – a unique fine wine region of incredible versatility.