2008 JUSTIFICATION 750

Color: Medium-dark ruby red with a red rim. Aroma: Dried berry and cherry notes, a good dash of tangy seasoning from oak, and a very delicate herbal note. Palate: Medium-weight and dry, lean at first as the natural acid attacks the palate, then subsides into more red cherry flavors with just a hint of vanilla-laced oak.

The 2008 growing season began with a wet winter that warmed up quickly. Mid-March bud-break prompted early concerns about frost. Indeed, frost struck parts of Paso Robles and the rest of coastal California on April 22. Spring continued dry and warm, spiking unseasonably high in mid-May, and then changing weather patterns weekly. These conditions in some vineyards caused “shatter,” also known as “coulure,” with crop loss due to flowers that would otherwise become grapes falling off the shoots. This reduced yields by up to 50% in some vineyards. Summer brought typical consistent warm, dry days with cool nights, and no heat spikes. The mild summer allowed the reduced crop to ripen evenly, and picking was determined by flavor profiles in the individual vineyards. All grapes were hand-harvested over a seven week period, and clusters were hand sorted for consistency.

This has become one of JUSTIN’s iconic wines in a very brief time. It is a unique blend inspired by the Bordeaux "right-bank" regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where very little cabernet sauvignon is grown due to soil and drainage conditions. JUSTIN has always been "justifiably" proud of the excellent cabernet franc on our property, and our small plots of merlot give it just the right richness of fruit in a serious and cellarable wine. It offers a touch more elegance than our complementary ISOSCELES blend, and sees a briefer time in French-only oak as well.