Winemaker Notes
Bright with a deep purple core and a purple-ruby rim with moderate, deeply stained tears on the glass. Black cherry, black currant and plum with leather, cigar box, and dried sage, vanillabean, dried violet, oak and a bit of camphor. Full-bodied with ripe complex black cherry, boysenberry, cassis, and blackberry fruit onthe entry with baking spice. Dusty tannins appear on the mid-palate with cedar, dried tobaccoleaf, and saddle leather as it progresses. The finish is long, fresh and balanced with notes ofbay leaf, dried red rose petal, oak and sustained tannins. The 2019 ISOSCELES is a bold winewith ripe fruit and attractive savory elements, which balance each other perfectly. This wine isrich and complex enough to be enjoyed on its own but is a perfect match with a classic herbcrusted prime rib with traditional sides.
Blend: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Inviting aromas of ripe dark berries, cassis, chocolate, walnuts and bark. Full-bodied, succulent and mouth-filing with very fine tannins. Creamy and velvety with a lingering finish. Drink now or hold.
The pioneer of Paso Robles, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1981 by Justin Baldwin and is known for crafting world-class wines using Bordeaux grape varieties. Once the grapes are harvested, JUSTIN Winemaker Scott Shirley and his team sort, select, age, taste, blend, and decide what goes into every bottle. JUSTIN consistently receives top honors around the world, establishing itself as a leader in new-world Bordeaux-style winemaking. JUSTIN's Vineyard Estate features a Tasting Room, luxury five-star accommodations at the JUST INN, and a MICHELIN-starred Restaurant-making it one of the only wineries on the Central Coast to offer all three amenities. JUSTIN also has a downtown Paso Robles tasting room where guests can enjoy their wines. Visit to discover what makes JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery so exceptional.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.