Vinous 98 – top Fenix ever:
The 2020 Fenix, nearly all Merlot for the very first time, is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted from Jonata. Dark, rich and bursting with pure unbridled energy, the Fenix is shaping up to be tremendous. Black cherry, licorice, chocolate and new leather saturate the palate. The 2020 is so impressive. I tasted it from tank just prior to bottling.
Dunnuck loved this, too:
Scheduled to be bottled shortly after this tasting, the 2020 Fenix sports a deep purple hue to go with a rocking bouquet of blueberries, ripe cherries, scorched earth, chocolate, and graphite. This plump, full-bodied, plush, sexy Merlot has great tannins, no hard edges, and outstanding length.
Winemaker Matt Dees says:
Packed with black fruit, mint and notes of fresh turned soil. Incense and iodine. Texturally this wine is unmatched in the stable of JONATA red wines. It absolutely covers the entire palate with joyous and vibrant dark and dense fruit. It has to be tasted to be believed. It saturates with the power of its fruit, but then remains buoyant and lifted by freshness and energy. It is naturally rich, but never over the top or flamboyant. Notes of graphite, dark chocolate and espresso bean. It finishes up with lift and vibrancy, forgiving tannins and dusty black fruit. In 2020, the merlot again makes a strong claim to be the finest red grape on the property. At 96% merlot, this is its loudest statement to date. Enjoy this beauty tonight or put in the cellar and revisit in a few years to witness and enjoy its evolution.
