Winery of the Week

This is a new, occasional feature of this blog. Once in a while (hopefully weekly) we will select a winery with a web presence and whose wines are worth knowing. This week's winery is Justin Vineyard and Winery. [Note: the site's front page plays some classical music, so browse wisely.] Justin is located in Paso Robles, California, somewhat inland from the coast and east of Morro Bay, CA. Although there are a good number of wineries in Paso Robles, few have gained the attention that wine lovers have given to Justin. Justin was not originally named "Justin." Located on Chimney Rock Road, the winery was originally named "Chimney Rock" by its owner, Justin Baldwin (who owns the company with his wife Deborah). When he received a phone call from Chimney Rock in Napa Valley. Justin quickly realized he'd need to change the name of his new winery, so he named it Justin. The wine for which Justin is perhaps best known is the Isosceles. This is a Bordeax-style blend, with the 2002 bottling made up of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. The wine has consistently received high scores from the critics, and deservedly so. It is not inexpensive at around $55.00, but people seem to snap it up quickly despite the cost. Justin's other flagship wine is Justification, an unusual blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. While Cab Franc wines are uncommon and frequently are nothing to write home about, Justification's use of Merlot makes it a delicious wine. Again, like its brother Isosceles, Justification is not cheap at over $40.00, but this is one Cab Franc worth its price tag. Wine lovers also buy this wine up quickly as the 2003 vintage is already sold out. Justin also makes one heck of a Cabernet Sauvignon, which at $23.00 is very reasonably priced for a California Cab. The current vintage was rated 87 by Wine Spectator, which makes this wine a great bargain. Justin has a whole bunch of other reds (including some tasty Syrahs) and white wines, but I have not had the opportunity to enjoy them all yet. The winery features an inn (called, not surprisingly, the JustInn) along with a dining room (Deborah's Room) featuring gourmet meals. The place sounds like a great destination for those who want to try a different wine region in California. For those whose travel plans do not include California any time soon, you can enjoy the wines and explore the Justin web site.