Justin is known for its high-end, cleverly-named Bordeaux blends, such as Isosceles and Justification. Yet it also makes more reasonably-priced, single varietal wines, including today’s wine, the 2011 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon!
About Justin Winery: “…We planted our first vineyard back in 1981 with a mission to make world-class Bordeaux-style blends. Since then, we’ve expanded both our knowledge of viticulture in this unique region as well as our acreage…Rich in fossilized limestone from eons of marine deposits, JUSTIN’s soil is ideally suited to creating big, Bordeaux-style reds. The limestone “stresses” the vines, producing grapes that fully express their varietal character…Paso Robles’ distinctive microclimate offers the widest day-night temperature swings of any grape-growing region in California. The hot days allow the grapes to develop intense flavor, while the cool nights create great structure and balance.”
2011 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles AVA, 14% ABV, $25 (#93*)
Winemaker notes found on www.wine.com: “Beautifully balanced, with attractive aromas of black fruit and spice, this smooth, ready to drink Cabernet is made with the same care as the highest quality, traditionally-made Bordeaux wines. Our grapes are hand-picked and then sorted by the berry for consistent quality and flavor. Justin Cabernet Sauvignon spends more than a year in traditional small oak barrels to impart a depth and complexity to the wine that expresses the influence of the ancient limestone soils and unique climate of Paso Robles.”
The 2011 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 91 points by Wine Spectator and 86 points by Wine Enthusiast.
From K&L Wine Merchants: “Like most producers in California in 2011, yields were down 30% at Justin. Aged for six months in 30% new 225L American oak barrels, this Cabernet shows classic Justin soft berry fruit and baking spice from oak ageing, but it also reveals a freshness, structure, and wafting aromatic quality that speak to the cool vintage – very elegant and appealing. Winemaker’s notes: “An attractive mix of red and black cherry with blackcurrant, cinnamon, cocoa, cedar and purple flowers. Palate: Medium body, with a complex mix of red and black fruit of cherries and currants, with cinnamon, a little cocoa, and classic cabernet varietal components with an unforgettable hint of violet in the background. The finish is long and crisp with red cherry, mineral and subtle floral components balanced by soft, medium tannins making this an elegant and versatile pairing wine that would be equally at home with Chateaubriand as it would with a burger or even pasta with a red sauce.” $25
My Review: Very dark in color, with dark fruit on the nose and sour cherries and cooked fruit on the palate, raisin, red currant, and cassis. We liked this wine. June 2020
This vintage would be hard to find, but the 2017 is available online for about $28. A great value.
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
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