Isosceles reserve: Our Finest Expression of a Bordeaux Blend
Our wines are born from an attention to detail and a commitment to achieve the greatest potential from each vineyard parcel we harvest. From the beginning, our mission has been to be in the company of the finest wines in the world, and that continues to this day. Our first commercial release, the 1987 JUSTIN Reserve, was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. In 1989, we changed the name of our JUSTIN Reserve wine to ISOSCELES.
With the wines we made in those early years, our founder, Justin Baldwin, noticed that there was a small amount of wine that showed an exceptional character compared to the other wines. As we became even more acquainted with our vineyards and continued to improve our cellars, there continued to be a few barrels that showed this exceptional character. Justin decided to “reserve” these barrels for a special, very limited-edition wine. To achieve a true ISOSCELES Reserve, we used only these superior components from the 1995 vintage, along with the judicious use of a little Malbec, and, finally, some Petit Verdot to further refine this Bordeauxstyle blend. The result was the first tiny bottling of the 1995 ISOSCELES Reserve, with its own distinctive white label and custom bottle design to distinguish its special release. With each vintage since, ISOSCELES Reserve has remained a truly exceptional wine experience, showing character, complexity and cellaring potential beyond any of our other blends, including our standard ISOSCELES.
In 2010, we updated our ISOSCELES Reserve bottles and label to the current bold, sleek design we know today. While our bottles may have changed in appearance, our winemaking process has remained constant. We continue to harvest all of our fruit by hand to assure the best selection and handling. After destemming, we sort all of our grapes by the berry to assure that only whole, ripe berries fill each tank, and that each tank contains only fruit from the same vineyard parcel, allowing us to express the unique qualities each site imparts.
Each spring, our winemaker, Scott Shirley, tastes and assesses every barrel lot from the previous harvest to identify barrels that exhibit the exceptional complexity and concentration required for an ISOSCELES Reserve blend. Once this unique blend is assembled, we return the wine to its 100% new French oak barrels for a total of 24 months, allowing its components to develop greater complexity. After bottling, we wait yet another year before releasing our ISOSCELES Reserve, so Members of our special Wine Society can receive their six-bottle shipment in November. This allows ISOSCELES Reserve Club Members six chances to experience its full potential over time.
With a wine like ISOSCELES Reserve, it’s really more about the journey than the destination, so don’t look for any one perfect time to enjoy your shipment. Wait six months to a year to enjoy your first bottle and your opinion of that individual bottle will tell you when to open the next. I often speak with members who are still enjoying bottles of ISOSCELES Reserve from those early white-label vintages. Whether it’s one year, five years, or even longer, it will be there, waiting to satisfy. We currently have limited availability for the 2015 vintage of ISOSCELES Reserve that will ship this fall. So if you’re a Wine Society Member and would like to experience the best of the best, please contact us at 805.591.3200 or [email protected] to learn more about the ISOSCELES Reserve Membership and joining this exclusive JUSTIN Wine Society experience.
