Ballard Canyon earned its own AVA status in 2013, with the deep Careaga sand soils presenting a uniquely challenging environment for viticulture: vines must probe deeply for nutrients, concentrating flavour and producing wines of notable mineral precision. La Sangre de Jonata is typically 95-99% Syrah with a small addition of Viognier, aged in a combination of new and neutral French oak. The 2020 California vintage was defined by a powerful Labour Day heatwave and fire conditions across much of the state, though Jonata’s Ballard Canyon site was largely sheltered, producing a wine of considerable power and concentration.

Jonata’s La Sangre has been called one of California’s most exciting new wine projects by Robert Parker, and the estate’s critical record across successive vintages justifies that assessment entirely. Vinous awarded the 2020 an outstanding 98 points, while Decanter awarded 97, reflecting consistent recognition from two of the wine world’s most respected publications. The estate explicitly groups 2020 alongside 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015 and 2018 as one of their finest Sangre vintages.

Deep, opaque purple with an explosive nose of black and blue fruit, creosote, tar, violets, white truffle, pipe tobacco and graphite. The palate is voluminous and textural, carrying black ink density against cocoa-fine tannins that hold everything in disciplined check. Long, layered and resinous on the finish with tremendous persistence. Best from 2026 through 2040.