2007 La Sangre de Jonata

The 2007 La Sangre de Jonata was the only one of these older vintages from Jonata that I felt was getting a little long in the tooth, with a touch of oxidation poking through in its rich bouquet of baked currant fruit, nori, asphalt, blood orange and truffle. On the palate, the wine's lavish core of fruit has begun to lose some of its texture and impact, which makes its assertive structuring tannins and considerable load of extract more prominent and less coherent. This must have been decadent and dramatic in its youth, but as it passes its tenth birthday I suspect that its best days are behind it, though there may be more vibrant bottles out there.

(syrah with 2% viognier) Inky ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet displays scents of dark berry preserves, smoked meat, licorice and dark chocolate, with a slow-building floral quality. Broad, palate-staining blackberry and cassis flavors are lifted by a tangy mineral note and complicated by floral and Indian spice qualities. Benefits from aeration and really deserves a few years of patience. The long, sweet finish echoes the floral and smoke notes and shows no rough edges.