Expect dark cherry, blackcurrant, dried herb, tobacco, cedar, and a savory note with full body and structured tannins. The 2017 California vintage was warm with some heat challenges; producer-by-producer quality varied.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend (Justification is traditionally a Right Bank-style Cab Franc / Merlot blend)
- Region
- USA / California / Paso Robles
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, structured, oak-aged, Right Bank-style
The producer
Justin Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1981 by Justin and Deborah Baldwin in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. The estate became one of the first Paso producers to make critical waves with Bordeaux-style blends. Now owned by the Wonderful Company. Justification is the estate's Right Bank-style Cab Franc / Merlot bottling, paired with the Left Bank-style Isosceles.
What critics say
Justification has consistently received strong reviews as one of California's most distinctive Cab Franc-led blends, often scoring in the mid-90s.
Pairing
Herb-crusted rack of lamb, grilled ribeye, mushroom-forward dishes