Justin

1981, Justin Baldwin purchases 160 acres in Paso Robles, with the aim of crafting wines that belong in the company of the finest in the world. Rich in limestone, the soil of Paso Robles produces grapes with intense flavor and great structure, making it a perfect location for JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery.

1986, Justin produces his first cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay wines, making them available only to friends. The first wine to bear the JUSTIN label, a cabernet sauvignon, is released.

1987, The first vintage of JUSTIN Reserve - a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot - is released. Later renamed ISOSCELES, it was created to emulate the iconic "Left Bank" wines of Bordeaux.

2000, Wine Spectator ranks the 1997 ISOSCELES the 6th-best wine in the world in their annual ranking of the top 100 wines.

We planted our first vineyard back in 1981 with mission to make world-class Bordeaux-style blends. Since then, we’ve expanded both our knowledge of viniculture in this unique region as well as our acreage.

Rich in fossilized limestone from eons of marine deposits, JUSTIN’s soil is ideally suited to creating big, Bordeaux-style reds. The limestone “stresses” the vines, producing grapes that fully express their varietal character.

Paso Robles’ distinctive microclimate offers the widest day-night temperature swings of any grape-growing region in California. The hot days allow the grapes to develop intense flavor, while the cool nights create great structure and balance.

At JUSTIN®, we combine traditional Old World methods—like hand-harvesting and small-barrel aging in French oak—with New World technology. For example: the “Air Knife,” an ingenious process invented by our winemakers, boosts grape quality and efficiency.

Once the grapes are harvested, our winemakers-some of the best in the business-gather to sort, select, age, taste, blend and decide what goes into every bottle.

JUSTIN’s dream to produce a red wine worthy of the great chateaux of Bordeaux came to fruition with the first release of ISOSCELES® in 1987.  Named for the three classic varietals that make up the blend—cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot—ISOSCELES remains our flagship wine and the epitome of our winemaking philosophy. And now, with 25 great vintages behind us, it’s time to celebrate!