Justin Winery is one of the most remote but honored wineries in the Paso Robles area. When investment banker Justin Baldwin and his mortgage broker wife, Deborah, bought 160 acres in the hills outside of what was the sleepy agricultural town of Paso Robles in 1981 they brought a vision and a sense of humor to Central California winemaking. And the Wineslacker appreciates a sense of humor.

Buy a bottle of Justin. Pull the cork (the REAL cork) and read it. You'll see what the 'slacker means. They just havin' fun. And if you can't have fun making wine, well, you're probably in the wrong business. Not only that, but if you're havin' fun and people know it; well, their gonna try your product at least once. When you've got a product as good as the Justin folks, they're gonna come back.

Now, Justin is famous for their top of the line Isosceles, a top rated Bordeaux style blend that was rated in 2002 by no less than that Napolean of wine crits, Robert Parker, at an atmospheric 95. Isosceles is a fairly hefty price per bottle, but Justin makes a line of wines that are reasonable, drinkable and delicious. One of their cheapest is their little "Orphan", a red blended wine that they market, tongue in cheek, as their thrown together field blend orphan child. A wine for picnics and barbeques and spur of the moment grilling. Let the Wineslacker tell you, it's one beautiful wine for $16 a shot. A warm, cigar wrap nose, red fruit, dried, wild cherries and a mild black tea finish with the structure to hold it all in balance. Doggies.

And it must be one of the great places to buy wine; the winery, Justin's restaurant, Deborah's Room and a tiny bed and breakfast, Just Inn, are tucked away in the hills outside of Paso Robles, California, at the end of a lonely country road, exactly 11680 Chimney Rock Road.