2018 Todos a massive chewy sharp ripe grainy little thing bitter and black. An awkward sort of match head vegetal and thin in finish. I can’t tell what it is… if it’s Grenache someone needs to be drug behind a truck; if it’s Syrah I suppose on some *Paso* level Saxum #winebro’d be all over it; maybe Mourvedre?–but that seems odd. 14.4 My score: I can appreciate this wine for what he’s trying to do and its demographic but not my style.
2018 Fenix ridiculously staining completely impenetrable, warm buggy nose of immensely ripe fruit, but vaguely smelling of Bordeaux. I’m going to guess majority Merlot and probably some PV. Again a strange astringency to the nose, not quite flush, quite concentrated. Not quite pleasant but also not terribly off-putting. It’s a graininess that is actually kind of intriguing, but it’s built up on glyceriney ripeness. In the mouth actually rather calm although bitter black and tannic in the finish. That’s a monster that’s for sure with plentiful heat and pulling at opposites like only Ballard Canyon can do. 14.5 and something like 60/20 ME/Cab 8% PV and the rest CF. My score: I rather like this wine for reasons I’m not quite comfortable with.
As much as I love the Hilt Chardonnay, this pinot is awkward and brittle with a strange nose lacking typicity. Very little fruit in the nose. Scrambled-eggs sort of savory with strange floral. Thin and uninteresting throughout the mouth. Very little fruit. Very little funk. Bit of acid and vague tannins. 2020 Santa Rita Hills 13.0 My score: Lifeless and boring.
My love-hate relationship with Jonata seems to be alive and well–as usual.
Stephen McConnell 