David “The Wine Guy” is a good friend of ours, we have known him for years. It is also a given that drinking & driving do not mix; ever. But, when friends get together and share stories about great cars and their passion for them, a great wine can somehow become appropos. David Bunnell also happens to be the New Car Sales Manager at Sterling BMW in Newport Beach. He is a great car guy and he knows a thing or two about wine…….in the appropriate place and at the appropriate time.

Having just returned from Paso Robles with my wife Marta, and it being our first visit to the central coast, I must say that Paso Robles is an excellent find!  Napa has or course been the giant in the US wine world, and is not shy when it comes to its wine pricing. Paso Robles on the other hand is a bargain for not only wine value, but the over 170 wineries are offered as well. We had time to visit several of the more popular wineries and we were not disappointed. Admittedly reluctant to make the 41/2 hour drive north to central California, we were not at all disappointed. In fact, it will no doubt be a favorite destination for us now. The traffic was near non existent, the countryside was beautiful, the locals were friendly; you’re getting the idea. We actually had pulled alongside a country road to make a cell phone call (imagine that in the OC), and had been offered help from 3 different locals, thinking we were in need of assistance. That no longer happens in today’s world in southern California. We had locals who actually said hello to us, just passing by on the street. We will be back to Paso Robles sooner, rather than later.

So here it goes, my pick of the litter,and as hard as it is to find the winner among some excellent competition, we have chosen for this months pick, a winery called:

Justin Vineyards & Winery

My favorite pick is one of the red wines they produce called “Justification” and it is truly justified to order a bottle. In fact that is all you can order-that’s right the limit is 1 bottle. And I highly recommend you order it fast as they have nearly sold out of it. They have already “sold out” of 5 of their 7 red wines offered online.You are definitely in for a nice suprise. And for $36.00 ( if you are a Justine wine club member)  it is a true find!! 

They (Justin) tell it best in the notes below:
Every year we make a limited amount of JUSTIFICATION. Wine Society members will receive two bottles of 2005 JUSTIFICATION in their October Wine Society shipment. Increase your shipments to the deluxe 12-bottle and receive four bottles of JUSTIFICATION!

Tasting Notes:

Aromas of raspberry, blackberry and light earthy characters make up the nose of our 2005 right bank Bordeaux blend. The entry is soft, supple and rich with red and black fruit. A lengthy, elegant mid palate follows, showcasing the many layers resulting from this complex blend. Slightly dusty, yet round tannins from the Cabernet Franc combine with bright acidity and fruit from the Merlot, to make this wine balanced and seamless from start to finish. Hints of chocolate, caramel and cinnamon from the new French oak are the encore of this unique wine.

Winemaking Practices:

A skilled crew handpicked the grapes into ½ ton picking bins. Once at the winery, 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. UV-43 yeast, a strain known for its intense cherry and berry characteristics, then fermented the wine to dryness over a ten-day period. The relatively early harvest of Merlot brought great acid levels, helping extract bright, intense color during fermentation. Two pump overs per day, plus occasional delestage (the process of racking the fermenting wine into another tank and returning over the top with a high powered pump) helped create the complexity and balance of this Merlot. The Cabernet Franc had a combined fermentation and maceration that lasted 3 weeks. The consistent year allowed us to extract the black fruit, earthy and leather characters from the ripe skins. Pump overs took place twice a day for all 21 days. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel and 47% new French Oak helped add depth to this Cabernet Franc/ Merlot blend.

David Bunnell