This is another short blog post about a few wines from Paso Robles which we tasted this Spring. The Vino Robles was from a Spring trip to DC – another great find at Cairo Wine & Liquor (aka The DC Wine Guy) in Dupont Circle, Washington DC. The two Justin wines were from our Decanting Monterey Wine Pod partners’ private collection. After the May 7th Monterey Winemakers’ Celebration – we went back to our friends’ house where they opened the Justification. Why we felt the need to open more wine after that event remains a mystery to this day. Alas, no notes were taken, but a good time was had. The Tempranillo was also consumed at their house in May, when we ended up being invited for an impromptu dinner. Really, I was just trying to deliver lemons.
About Vina Robles: “We are growers and makers of expressive, approachable estate wines from Paso Robles, California. “
“Vina Robles is the result of a unique personal trajectory, one that led founder Hans Nef from a rural village outside Zurich, Switzerland to the rugged terrain of California’s Central Coast.
“As a child in Switzerland, Nef learned to appreciate his rural surroundings and the blessings of agriculture. It was this special appreciation that lead him to expand his interests into agricultural land in the southern United States in the early 1990s. At the same time, he leveraged his passion for fine wine into his own wine import business, furthering his appreciation for California wines.
“Each time Nef traveled to the U.S., his desire to grow his own wine became more intense. He discovered Paso Robles in the mid-1990s and quickly became enamored with the emergent wine country. Here, where the Pacific coastline unfolds into rugged ranchlands and cowboy ambiance, a new generation of California winemakers was turning Paso Robles into one of the world’s most dynamic winegrowing regions.
“Nef was inspired to embark on his own idea for a Paso Robles winery, one that would honor his European roots while embracing the unique growing region in order to pursue his dream of producing world-class wines.
“In 1996 Nef selected longtime friend and business associate Hans – R. Michel, a Swiss expatriate, as managing partner. A year later, the duo planted the first of what would later become six vineyards in Paso Robles, and soon thereafter Vina Robles was born. Winemaker Kevin Willenborg joined the team in 2012.”
About Justin: “Our Philosophy At JUSTIN, we combine traditional Old World methods—like hand-harvesting and small-barrel aging in French oak—with New World technology. For example, the “Air Knife”, an ingenious New World process invented by our winemakers, boosts grape quality and efficiency. Once the grapes are harvested, our winemakers—some of the best in the business—gather to sort, select, age, taste, blend, and decide what goes into every bottle.
“Our Vineyards 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.
“Our Soil 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…
“Meet Our Winemaker After creating award-winning wine in Napa Valley for 13 vintages, JUSTIN Winemaker Scott Shirley took on the challenge of an entirely new appellation: Paso Robles. He combines a scientific background with an artistic approach, and greets each harvest like a painter facing a blank canvas with endless possibilities.”
Today, I am presenting just 3 Paso Robles wines. Winery notes come from their website, unless otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2019 Vina Robles Petite Sirah, Paso Robles AVA, Central Coast, 14.5% ABV, $29 (#847)
Winery Notes: “Petite Sirah is a classic variety grown in California for more than a century, and is well
suited to the limiting soils found in our estate vineyards in Paso Robles. The fruit for our 2019 Petite Sirah was handpicked in the early morning and sorted to ensure quality and uniformity of ripeness. The clusters were further sorted at our new state of the art winery, gently destemmed, optically berry sorted and crushed into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks where pumpovers took place regularly to extract color and tannins from the skins. After pressing, the wine was racked into barrels to complete
malolactic fermentation and aging. While the majority of this vintage was aged in French oak barrels, a portion went into American and Hungarian oak barrels to add complexity. Upon extensive blending trials after eight months of aging, the final lots were selected and blended for overall synergies – structure and minerality from Creston Valley, along with silkiness and expressive fruit from Jardine. The blend was then aged for an additional 12 months in barrels to fully integrate before bottling. The result is a wine displaying complexity, structure, richness and balance.
“Tasting Notes: Color: Opaque garnet Aroma: Boysenberry and vanilla with hints of fine tobacco and white pepper Taste: Full-bodied with juicy dark fruits, vanilla and a lively yet creamy finish.”
Wine Enthusiast – 93 points: “Dense aromas of elderberry and tar meet with wet wood and fresh mushrooms on the dynamic nose of this bottling. The lavish tannins are silky while structural on the palate, framing tarry flavors of baked fruit and smoked kelp.” Matt Kettmann, April 2022
My Review: Inky in the glass. upon opening, oak and vegetal notes on the nose. Extremely rich and smooth dark blueberries and blackberries on the palate with an oaky finish. I liked this wine. April 2022
2015 Justin Justification Red Blend, Paso Robles AVA, 15% ABV, $60 (#848) 52% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot
Winery Notes from wine.com: “Twenty-five years ago, Justin realized that the elegance, structure, and superb flavors of the winery’s Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes justified a wine that showcased those qualities. Thus was born JUSTIFICATION, a blend inspired by the celebrated “Right Bank” wines of France. Vibrant ruby in color with complex notes of ripe fruit, anise, and vanilla, JUSTIFICATION is delightful now and will age beautifully in your cellar.”
Wine Enthusiast – 91 points: “Soft red-cherry aromas meet with dark spice on the nose of this 52% Cabernet Franc and 48% Merlot blend. Framed by firm, sticky tannins, the medium-bodied palate shows flavors of red currant, cedar and oak.” Matt Kettmann November 2018
My Review: No notes.
2016 Justin Reserve Tempranillo, Paso Robles AVA, 15.5% ABV, $40 (#849)
Winery Notes from the Bottle: “The Tempranillo grape, a classic Spanish varietal, flourishes in the hot, dry climate of Paso Robles. Offering generous aromas of spicy fruit and toasted oak, along with deep flavors of ripe cherry and black currant, our Reserve Tempranillo pairs beautifully with a wide range of cuisines.”
Wine Enthusiast – 94 points: “There’s a compelling density of aromas in the way of blackberry, dark cocoa and savory charred meat on the nose of this bottling. The palate is deep and ripe yet balanced by a dry structure, offering flavors of black cherry, black currant, cocoa and espresso bean.” Matt Kettmann December 2019
My Review: Ruby in color. Rich and delicious. Having recently returned from a Tempranillo tour of Spain, we super appreciated this wine. May 2022
Tasting Vina Robles Wines: Open Daily | 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Reservations recommended, walk-ins welcome. “We offer wines from both our Estate Series and Limited Estate Collection. These selections showcase the diversity of varieties we grow in our estate vineyards while highlighting winemaker Kevin Willenborg’s distinct talents and passions.” You can make a reservation here.
Tasting Justin Wines: “JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery is more than a beautiful place to drink exceptional wine. It’s a unique viticultural microclimate. It’s a Michelin-recommended restaurant. It’s world-class accommodations. It’s tasting rooms at the vineyard and in downtown Paso Robles, and more.” They have a variety of wine tasting experiences at their estate at 11680 Chimney Rock Road Paso Robles, CA, where they are open 11-5 daily.
You can also taste their wines at JUSTIN Downtown. “Conveniently located on Downtown City Park, experience JUSTIN’s world-class tasting bar and cozy dining room. Relax and enjoy a wide selection of JUSTIN wines by the glass or by the bottle, accompanied by our chef’s small bites or full menu.” 811 12th St, Paso Robles, Sunday – Thursday 12:00pm – 6:00pm; Friday – Saturday 11:00am – 9:00pm.
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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