2012 Jonata Todos

A great wine, the 2012 Todos Proprietary Red Wine offers terrific notes of black and red raspberry fruits, toasted bread and spice. As it sat in the glass, more classic Syrah olive, bacon and a touch of violet all developed. Medium to full-bodied, juicy, mouthfilling and loaded with sweet fruit, it doesn't skimp on structure and will have at least a decade of longevity. Think of this as a mini-La Sangre. The blend here is 75% Syrah with 7% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance a mix of varieties.

The 2012 Todos comes across as quite backward, with less of its typical youthful exuberance. Rich and full-bodied, with tons of 2012 vintage raciness supported by good underlying structure, the Todos impresses for its overall balance. The Syrah-based Todos remains the hidden jewel in the Jonata range considering its superb quality and relatively accessible price. Here, too, winemaker Matt Dees used a little appassimento (air drying) on the stems.

“The 2012 Todos, which gets more and more Syrah in each vintage, checks in as 75% Syrah, 7% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, Viognier and Cabernet Franc. Seeing 40% new French oak (mostly in 350, 500 and 600-liter barrels), it’s a big, decadently styled effort that doesn’t pull any punches. Beef broth, wood smoke, chocolate and loads of dark fruit flow to a full-bodied, savory and thrillingly concentrated 2012 that has a seamless, layered profile that should keep it drinking nicely for upward of a decade.”