2019 Jada Hell's Kitchen

Glass-staining ruby. Ripe black and blue fruit, olive and licorice scents are sharpened by a spicy suggestion of cracked pepper. Supple, sweet and broad on the palate, offering juicy blueberry and cassis flavors and a hint of vanilla on the back half. In a plush, fruit-driven style, showing no rough edges and a long, oak-spiced finish framed by slowly building tannins. 40% new French oak.

The 2019 Hell's Kitchen is a blend of 55% Syrah, 17% Graciano, 16% Grenache and 12% Tannat—winemaker Joshua Harp notes the high proportion of Graciano and says it did very well this vintage. After some time in the glass, scents of cassis and candied blueberries give way to nuances of beef drippings, purple flowers and milk chocolate. The palate manages full fruit and juicy lift, with a grainy tannic frame and a finish laced with loads of floral perfume. This has more to give with another 2-3 years in bottle.

The deep purple-hued 2019 Hell's Kitchen offers up a powerful, full-bodied, blockbuster style as well as ample black and blue fruits and peppery herb-like aromas and flavors. With sweet tannins and loads of texture, it’s already drinking nicely yet is going to evolve for at least a decade. The blend is 55% Syrah, 17% Graciano, and 12% Tannat, all from the Jada Vineyard in the Willow Creek District. Winemaker Joshua Harp, along with top Napa consultant Tony Biagi, continues to go from strength to strength and it seems as if every vintage is the finest to date. The 2018s reviewed for this report are brilliant (I reviewed some 2018s last year as well) and the 2019s might be a step up. No shrinking violets, these are big, rich wines, yet the balance is spot on, the wines show remarkable purity of fruit, and I’d certainly be happy to drink any of them.