The magic of the 2018 harvest really began to appear in mid-August when the temperatures cooled again and basically remained sunny, mild and in the eighties for the remainder of the harvest season. The ripening from veraison to harvest occurred under absolutely picture perfect conditions. This long and slow harvest allowed for beautiful phenological ripening without the abrupt rise in sugar and corresponding dramatic drop in acidity that can result from typical heat spikes.

The harvest at JONATA was tremendous and began on September 15, 2018 with sangiovese and merlot being the only grapes brought in that month. The rainfall at the estate from the early October event was minimal. It basically acted to remove the dust from the clusters. The Jonata harvest was roughly 2 weeks later than in 2017 with slow and even ripening throughout. The large majority of red fruit was picked from October 10 through October 26 under clear blue skies.

“2018 is one of those rare vintages (unicorn vintages, if you will…) when yields are healthy and quality is exceptional. The white wines are velvet in texture and absolutely full of tension and energy. The reds are defined by subtlety and elegance. They are a pleasure to taste. They appear to be similar to the 2017 reds with that same complexity and charm. These are very exciting wines.” — Matt Dees Winemaker

Exotic and dusty nose with focus on cassis, mocha, cedar, dried strawberry, espresso and wild blackberry. Silky, lithe and finely structured. Reminiscent of the 2017, but with finer bones. Approachable, but also a lock for a long and refined evolution in bottle. A blend that wins with its texture. Long and seamless. A thrilling bottle today that is chalky and dense and yet so smooth. Elegance and refinement. Balanced and utterly satisfying. A classic in the making. Red, black and green.