Visiting Paso Robles - Lunch at Justin with Winemaker, Scott Shirley

Justin Vineyards and Winery was our next stop for lunch and a tasting. The winery sits below rolling vineyards providing picturesque views all around. The beautiful landscaping and gardens ensure that the patio seats are highly prized for tastings.

The Restaurant at Justin is a Paso Robles dining destination. The restaurant features a farm-to-table menu with something for everyone on the eclectic list, choose from American home-style favorites to the internationally inspired. Each item comes with a
suggested wine pairing so you can create your own special meal. We started with a taste of the Justin Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2016 which was fresh, crisp and tropical.

Winemaker, Scott Shirley greeted us and took us on a mini-tour of the grounds. Shirley has an impressive background. He is a UC Davis graduate with a degree in biochemistry who honed his winemaking skills at some iconic Napa Valley wineries including Opus One. He doesn't rely only on his science background, he considers winemaking to be a bit of an art as well. He pointed out that his job is always easier because he starts with high quality fruit.

He shared the story of owner and company namesake, Justin Baldwin, who was drawn to Paso Robles in 1981. The rich limestone soils, steep hillsides and the wide diurnal swings seemed the perfect place to plant Bordeaux varieties. Thirty-six years later, Justin Vineyards and Winery now produces some of the most iconic wines from the Central Coast. Shirley joined the team in 2012 and says he has really enjoyed his time in Paso Robles and is proud of the wines they are making.

As we took our seats at the shaded patio table, Shirley recommended two things for the table to share: the pickled beets with goat feta, pine nuts, citrus and watercress and the Brussels sprouts prepared with blue cheese,
walnuts, pomegranate, and apple cider gastrique. He assured us that was the extent of his food knowledge, he was there to talk wine.

He poured the Justin Paso Robles Rosé 2016 to go with these vegetable laden starters. This refreshing Rosé is made in the Provencal style but is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Justin's flagship grape. It had cherry/berry aromas and flavors with a light herbal note in the fresh finish, it was perfect with the appetizers.

As we had an array of red wines up next, I ordered the Patty Melt served with Holy Cow cheese, caramelized onions, thousand island dressing and a dill pickle on sourdough bread. This entree was listed as the suggested
pairing for their famed Isosceles wine.

The Reds:

Justin Justification Paso Robles 2014 - This wine is inspired by Bordeaux's Right Bank with its blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot which is barrel aged in French Oak of which 50% was new. Bright cherry aromas and flavors with baking spice and smoke, full bodied and fresh with smooth tannins and a lingering finish. SRP $50

Justin Savant Paso Robles 2014 - A somewhat unusual blend of 62% Syrah with 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Grenache aged in French Oak
barrels for 21 months of which 60% were new. This wine is intense and lush with jammy berry flavors, baking spices and a note of smoked meat with a full body, chewy tannins and a peppery note in the long finish. SRP $50

Justin Isosceles Paso Robles 2014 - This flagship wine is made from 73% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc and 12% Merlot aged 21 months in new French Oak barrels. Rich and fragrant with blackberries, cassis and licorice, this full bodied red blend is big and bold yet still approachable with chewy tannins and a lengthy chocolate laced finish. SRP $72

All of the wines at Justin are recommended, as is a visit to the winery should you be visiting Paso Robles.

"The Zen of Zin" Tasting at Fleming's in River Oaks

On Friday evening, my husband and I attended the Zinfandel wine tasting at Fleming's in River Oaks. My husband gets totally pumped up for any and all things Zinfandel but what I found really intriguing in the line up of wines were the aged offerings. Brent Sloan, managing partner at Houston's premier wine storage facility Nos Caves Vin, had provided Fleming's with four 18 year old bottlings and one 17 year old bottling from his collection of some of his favorites. I found this interesting because 1. I don't believe that I have ever had an 18 year old Zinfandel before this evening and 2. From various wine classes, I had always heard that at best Zinfandel had very limited aging ability. So, I was definitely excited to give these wines a taste. There were also an additional five younger Zinfandel wines that are some of Fleming's best sellers. The entire tasting line up for the evening included: 2009 Orin Swift Saldo - California 2007 Schulz "Lampyridae...

Spanish Wine under a Houston Sunset

I was asked to speak about Spanish wine and to conduct a tasting at the 30th birthday party of Kyla Kennedy on the rooftop patio of her and her fiancé, Jonathan Garrett's home this past Saturday. They invited a great group of friends with a new interest in wine tasting. Jonathan had the idea after the two had watched the movie "Somm" and had become interested in learning more about the wines of the world. For our tasting tour of Spain: Anna de Coderniu Brut Cava * - Guests loved this Spanish sparkler! They found the history of the winery interesting and enjoyed the refreshing style of the wine. The birthday girl named the subtle tropical and citrus aromas like a pro. 2012 Burgan's Rias Baixas Albarino - Guests talked about the fresh peach aromas and the crisp taste. Many felt this could be their summer sipper. 2012 Raimat Costers del Segre Albarino* - Guests were interested in learning about this lesser known area, the innovative winery and how ...

A Tropical Staycation with Spy Valley E Block

After a fair amount of traveling this summer with more still to come, I was looking forward to spending time at home with my family this week. Both of my millennial children have recently moved back to Houston but the home-cooked meals have been few and far between. I had recently received a sample of the Spy Valley E Block Sauvignon Blanc 2017 along with an invitation to participate in an on-line tasting with the Wine Pairing Weekend group (find them online under the hashtag #Winepw), this became the inspiration for this family gathering. I gleefully sent out a group text, "I'm grilling poolside tonight, be home by 7:30 p.m. to eat, come earlier if you want to swim." I am surrounded by funny people as the responses reflect, "Who is this?", "What have you done with my mom?", "Not a good night, Bachelor in Paradise is on." I was undeterred, I knew that they would come. I pulled the bottle out of the wine fridge to investigate what I was ...

Wine Life - Houston

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