2015 La Sangre de Jonata

Ordinarily I might say that I was impressed with these wines from Jonata, but quality is so consistently high now that it excellence is the norm. Matt Dees is one of the most brilliant winemakers of his generation. But Dees is more than just a winemaker, he has also been able to assemble a team around him to help look after Jonata, The Hilt, The Pairing, vast estate vineyards and a new winery facility, plus whatever other projects are on the horizon, and that may be an even rarer talent than knowing how to make compelling wines. The handful of 2017s I tasted from barrel point to another strong vintage at this Ballard Canyon property, while the bottled 2016s and 2015s are strong across the board, with the exception of the 2016 Fuerza, Jonata's Petit Verdot. The Cabernet-based Desafio and Sangre Syrah are the flagships, but year in year out I find myself drawn to Todos, the estate's entry-level wine, for the superb quality and value it offers.