Winemaker Notes
Dark ruby purple core with blue/black secondary hue, a medium rim with thick tears showing slight staining on the glass. Aromatic and complex with ripe red cherry, black currant and a little berry with vanilla, cinnamon and licorice spice, cedar and graphite notes, oak, leather, dried autumn leaves and a minty hint of camphor. Moderate plus to full bodied, dry, with ripe cherry and cassis mixed with baking spice on entry joined by cedar and oak on the mid-palate with complex savory, herbal elements. The finish is long, balanced and clean, with returning red and black fruit and perfectly proportioned, fine, mouth-filling tannins. The 2016 Justification is elegant with a perfect balance of fruit, savory and textural elements making is a versatile food pairing wine.
The 2016 Justification is elegant with a perfect balance of fruit, savory and textural elements making is a versatile food pairing wine. Try it with a wide range of dishes from Rotissierie Chicken, or Duck Confit, to Entrecote Bordelaise et pomme frites, a classic regional dish from Bordeaux of pan seared steak with a red wine shallot and thyme pan sauce served with crispy fries.
Blend: 57% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This blend of 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet Franc begins quite subtly on the nose, with aromas of berry, mint and oak. Polished tannins frame the palate, where flavors of black cherry, espresso bean and dried mint arise.
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.