Eastside Cellars
Jonata 'El Desafio de Jonata' Red 2021 750mL
Jonata 'El Desafio de Jonata' Red 2021 750mL
USA : CALIFORNIA : SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
SUSTAINABLE : Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
FULL-BODIED, DARK CHERRY, BAKING CHOCOLATE, TOBACCO, BLACK OLIVE, NEW OAK
El Desafio — “The Defiance” — is Jonata’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, drawn from deep-rooted estate vines in Careaga sandstone at Ballard Canyon. Winemaker Matt Dees aged the 2021 for 20 months in 80% new French oak, pushing concentration without losing the tension that Ballard Canyon’s 40°F diurnal temperature swings provide. The estate is the Santa Barbara sister winery to Screaming Eagle — same owner, Stan Kroenke — with the same site-specificity and minimal-intervention philosophy.
Only 720 cases produced. The 2021 earned 97+ points from both Antonio Galloni (Vinous) and Jeb Dunnuck, plus 96 from Wine Advocate. Galloni called it “one of the most impressive wines I tasted this year in Santa Barbara.” Built for 2–3 decades in the cellar; generous with 1–2 hours of decanting now.
PAIRINGS :
| Dry-aged ribeye | dense black fruit and gravelly tannins match the char and fat of prime-cut beef |
| Braised short ribs | slow-cooked richness mirrors the wine’s silky, layered depth |
| Aged sheep’s milk cheese | saline, nutty character provides contrast to the dark fruit intensity |
Couldn't load pickup availability