Jonata, Alma

Jonata, AlmaCalifornia's Cheval Blanc (or maybe Le Dome is a better comparison), the Cabernet Franc dominated 2012 El Alma de Jonata incorporates 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot and is brought up in 80% new French oak. It has an incredible bouquet of tobacco leaf, lead pencil shavings, sweet currants, crushed rock and violets that come screaming from the glass. This is followed by a full bodied red that shows a sensational purity of fruit, a

(93-95)/2024+

The most in need of integration and softening of the non-Hillside 2019s

Here there is no reductive funk and in fact the nose is really quite pretty with its airy mix of red and dark pinot fruit that display top notes of spice and herbal tea

floral and juniper flavors are quickly encased in a cloak of dense

which isn’t necessarily an inconvenience as the cellar time should help the wood treatment better integrate

Quite a bit of grunt

I mentioned the intensity but keep in mind that it is very well balanced

Pale to medium deep ruby-purple in color

There is good detail and solid intensity to the seductively textured flavors that culminate in a balanced and persistent finish

why hold off any longer

The 2010 de Fargues has an attractive bouquet with scents of honey

Here too there is excellent energy to the precise