The Restaurant at JUSTIN
Midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, one can find JUSTIN Winery in Paso Robles, a Central Coast wine country destination. The winery is nestled amongst 160 acres of golden rolling hills and vineyards.
What makes JUSTIN Winery unique is that it also has a world-class hospitality program. Just a short stroll from its tasting room, one can find JUST INN and its Michelin-recommended restaurant, The Restaurant at JUSTIN.
The accommodations at JUST INN are spacious and elegant. I stayed in the SAVANT Suite and upon arrival, I found a charcuterie board, handwritten note, and a bottle of Savant wine - a thoughtful touch after a long drive! The suite was quite luxurious and came with a Tempur-Pedic Bed topped with Frette linens, a living room with fireplace, and a hydro-spa bathtub. Its bar was stocked with Fiji water and a variety of wine accessories.
It also has a walk-out balcony that overlooks the restaurant’s garden. It’s a zen spot to wind down with a glass of wine in hand. A perk of staying overnight at JUST Inn is that guests receive a tour of the winery and caves, in addition to a complimentary breakfast each morning.
After settling into our suite, we made our way to the tasting room to enjoy a chocolate and wine pairing. The chocolates are made by JUSTIN Winery’s talented Chocolatier and each chocolate has its own unique and beautiful design.
The wine and chocolate flight included the following:
2021 Rose paired with strawberry basil white chocolate
2019 Reserve Malbec paired with milk chocolate filled with caramel and topped with smoked sea salt
2020 Right Angle paired with Cabernet Sauvignon dark chocolate
2019 Isosceles paired with hazelnut praline dark chocolate
A wine expert educated us about JUSTIN’s wide variety of wines. I learned that the winery’s soil is rich in fossilized limestone from eons of marine deposits, which makes it suited for big, Bordeaux-style reds. The limestone “stresses” the vines, producing grapes that fully express their varietal character.
Later that evening, we made our way to the restaurant onsite to enjoy a seasonal multi course tasting menu that was paired with exquisite wines. The restaurant has a beautiful view of vineyards and it paired perfectly with the following extraordinarily good meal. Each of the dishes are created from ingredients grown on JUSTIN’s 26-acre farmstead which gives you a true farm-to-table experience. Dinner included:
Ocean Trout Tartare from Norway with San Miguel tomato, basil, estate apple, cucumber, and flax seed. Paired with 2021 Landmark Pinot Gris. Mixed all together, this dish was a burst of flavor to start the meal.
Sturia Oscietra Caviar - Culurgione, malabar spinach, and onion soubise. Paired with 2019 Justin Chardonnay. This was perhaps my favorite dish that I’ve had this year!
Taleggio & Spinach Sopresine - Ratatouille, Bloomsdale spinach, pepper espuma, parmigiano-reggiano, an onion brioche. Paired with 2014 JUSTIN Reserve Tempranillo. I found this dish to be an inspiring take on the classic French dish.
Prime Creekstone Farms Ribeye Cap with cocoa, cauliflower, beets, buttered radish, oyster mushroom, pommes pave, bone marrow, and blackberry jus. Paired with 2009 JUSTIN ISOSCELES. This unique cut of meat was absolutely divine.
Challerhocker Souffle with fig compote. Paired with 2012 JUSTIN FOCUS. This was a memorable dish as it combined sweet and salty in a unique fashion.
Strawberry & Pistachio Financier with lemon sablé, strawberry mousse, and strawberry consumé. Paired with 2018 JUSTIN Sunny’s Block.
Top top things off, a chocolate cart was wheeled out at the very end of dessert. Guests can choose from a variety of chocolates crafted by JUSTIN’s in-house chocolatier.
Overall, the service was very attentive, thoughtful, and at the end of our meal, Chef Rachel Hastrom even stopped by to say hello - a sweet surprise! I was delighted to meet her considering the fantastic meal we had just finished.
I had a wonderful epicurean weekend at JUST Inn. It truly is the perfect spot to enjoy the finer things in life while taking in the beauty of California’s central coast.