Justin Night at WWWC

Tuesday night, July 10, 2012, was Justin night at the West Wichita Wine Connection (WWWC).  Michael Garcia, representing Justin was our guest speaker for the evening.  Our meal was started with a splendid Moroccan salad, with artichoke hearts and chick-peas marinated in olive oil and spices.  Forget about problems matching artichoke with wine, both the white and the syrah went well with the salad. The entrée was a Moroccan beef dish, with carrots, summer squash, onions and couscous. Dessert was a jipna with teen, which is a cheese type confection with a fig sauce (the “teen”).  Now for the wine!

The greeting wine was a 2011 Justin Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit was from Preston Vineyards, near the Templeton gap in Paso Robles, California. There was a lot of grapefruit, some tropical flavors and a tang on the aftertaste. No wood or oak flavors, as it is kept in stainless steel.

The four table wines started with the 2009 Justin Syrah, the Rhone Ranger entry from the winery. Grapes are sourced from Hastings Ranch, with a production of around 3,900 cases. The aroma is not overly forward, some oak and berry fruit. Hint of earth on the initial taste, nice fruit carry through – red berries at the front. Good mouthfeel and lasting aftertaste - very good with the meal.

Second was the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, the regular bottling. Nice nose with red and blackberry fruit. Flavor was deep with black and red berry fruit – hint of green pepper and smoky spice in the aftertaste. Aftertaste lingered, very nice California cabernet for a decent price. (I have at least one bottle of the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon in my wine vault.)

Third wine was the 2009 Justification, a real surprising wine. Made of Cabernet Franc and Merlot (not a common blend, by any stretch of the imagination) the color was dark. Big berry nose grabbed you at the first sniff. Great raspberry and blackberry flavors with some plum and hints of spice, follow through with a long aftertaste. Really nice bottle of wine, one I would recommend for a different bottle.

Lastly, though not in flavor, was the 2008 Isoceles, one of the top wines of the vineyard. Always a great wine (I’ve had at least 4 different vintages), this bottle was typical of the class. Great berry nose, some oak lurking in the aroma. Broad mouthfeel, with red and black berry fruit with hints of cedar spice box. Easily a bottle that could age well, but is drinking very nice at this time. Less fruit forward than the Justification, but a wine that would stand to a test of time.

Actually, lastly was the fortified wine, Obtuse, a cabernet sauvignon pert style wine poured for dessert. A sweet wine, with some depth, but not like a typical Port. Very grapey, but a pleasant little item to end a meal.

All 58 folks in attendance enjoyed themselves - meanwhile, keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you behind the grape vines.