JUSTIN JUSTIFICATION 2007 (AGAIN)

I wrote about this wine a few months ago. The bottle I had then had some serious “cork” issues but it was beautiful once it was in the glass for a little while. This bottle came from Aabalat Wines and cost a pretty penny. My friend Lisa and I took it to Steak Knife and our waiter was kind enough to open it for us. And he did a fantastic job! The cork came out in several pieces but he got the whole thing out without any of it crumbling into the bottle. The cork smelled bad and I thought the wine was going to be ruined. But after 10 minutes in the glass this wine started revealing itself and it was delightful. It was an elegant blend with red fruit and spices, kind of a strawberry pie taste, with peppermint. Unlike some of those heavy creamy cabs (not that there is anything wrong with those!) this wine had a silky texture. I really LOVE this wine.

In 2010, a Wine Enthusiast review said this about the 2007 Justin Justification: “Easily one of the best Justin reds in years. An unusual blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, it shows a wonderful texture, courtesy of softly ripe tannins and just-in-time acidity. The flavors are all cherries: pie filling, red currants, and ripely fresh fruit off the tree on a hot summer day. Delicious and compelling.” I was not able to find a recent review and obviously this wine has aged significantly since that 2010 review. But I have now had two bottles, and on both occasions the wine just kept evolving in the glass and getting more gorgeous and complex. I wonder if I’ll ever find another bottle of this vintage! Who knows? If it is out there, I’ll find it!