2007 SAVANT - 91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
This blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and a drop of Malbec, presumably for color and body, represents a big step forward for JUSTIN. It has the structure and impressive dryness of a fine wine, with pure, deep flavors of black currants and cedar. Delicious and elegant, it should hold in the bottle for 3–5 years. —S.H.

2007 JUSTIN Savant, Paso Robles
750ml size (standard size)

Interested in a larger format? For the first time ever, we are proud to present SAVANT in a Magnum 1.5 liter size! Quantities very limited click here, to order.

Vintage Summary

The 2007 growing season began with a cold, dry winter, resulting in an early bud break. Spring remained dry and warm, providing a consistent climate for canopy growth. In early summer, the soils were depleted of their water holding capacity, naturally reducing yields by 30%. A mild, early summer eventually turned hot. Consistent temperatures in the mid 90’s ripened fruit consistently throughout the harvest season.

Vineyard Practices

Aggressively pruning the vines helps focus the plants stored carbohydrates on promoting strong early growth in shoots. When shoots reach around 6 to 8 inches, we remove any growth not intentionally left at pruning. To help intensify color, ripen tannins and maintain healthy vines, we increased sun exposure and air circulation by removing laterals and creating a tunnel through the middle of the canopy. In May, we removed smaller fruit bearing shoots that might have had difficulty ripening their clusters to decrease production and increase fruit quality. The mild summer helped maintain acidity and produce unusually elegant, balanced wines. Yields of less than 1.5 tons per acre extended the growing season and resulted in small, intense clusters rich in color, flavor, and complexity.

Winemaking Practices

Our winemaking team began sampling the ripening grapes on a regular basis in early September.  During the last few weeks before the grapes were picked, we tasted the skins, juice and seeds two to three times per week.  We evaluated color, flavor and tannin ripeness to determine the exact harvest date. A skilled crew handpicked the grapes into ½ ton picking bins.  Once at the winery, a sorting area removed any less than perfect clusters. Our crusher-destemmer removed all of the stems and lightly crushed the grapes.  The must (crushed grapes) was then placed in a stainless steel tank for the Cabernet portion, and small, brand new 59 gallon French oak barrels for the Syrah portion. UV-43 yeast, a strain known for its intense cherry and berry characteristics, then fermented the wine to dryness over a twelve-day period.  During fermentation, the tank fermenting wine was pumped over for about 35 minutes up to four times daily to extract the ripe tannins and intense flavors from the skins. The barrels were punched down four times daily to control temperature and enhance extraction from both skins and wood. Free run juice from both lots was used for the final blend.  Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel to help incorporate the oak faster. 18 months in 68% new French Oak helped soften the tannins and lengthen the mid palate. We blended the wine in August and put it back into barrel for ten months to ensure the wine was integrated before bottling. A small amount of Malbec (4%) was blended in to brighten the fruit in this rich, concentrated wine.

Tasting Notes