HotelChatter

All Things Just
All things JUST were founded in 1981 on 160 acres by former LA finance bigwigs Justin and Deborah Baldwin. The duo probably knew a thing or two about drinking wine, but who was to say then they knew anything about running a vineyard? Well, they do. They've received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence the last three years.

Room Reaction
The JUST Inn consists of four lovely suites with shishi Euro-inspired names like Provence, Bordeaux, Tuscany and The Sussex which is where we stayed. The Sussex is adorned with gold faux-finish walls and country-style accoutrement, with deep paneled wood ceilings. It's warm and earthtoney, with furniture to flop down onto and sink into. It used to be the one-bedroom spacious living space for Justin's mother. Now that it is converted for B&B use, the bed is the centerpiece of the bedroom and the spa bathtub/shower is the focal point of the bathroom. There's also a spacious living room to lounge around in. Making yourself at home is effortless.

Inside the Sussex, there seems to be an emphasis on the sex. When Timothy, the dining room manager, brought us and our male companion to the room, David, he winked and made sure to reiterate that we "better take advantage of having the place all to yourselves." (His words.)

Definitely do dinner in "Deborah's Room," named for the gourmand owner. Go for the multi-course wine-paired feast prepared by their critically acclaimed executive chef, sous chef and sommelier. Dinner tasting is $90. Add $45 for the wine pairing. We particularly liked the parsnip soup with caviar and David dug the buttery black cod and filet.

Justin Wines
While staying at the inn, check out the vineyard. Depending on your level of wine knowledge tours cost $15 to $50. Jim and Mike take visitors on a tour highlighting the heroic efforts of Justin and Deborah to fulfill their mission statement of "belonging among the best wines in the world." (Apparently, that's not every winery's goal. Hello, Yellow Tail.)

They detail the craftsmanship of it all from picking the best grapes to perfecting the art of blending wines, be it from American or French oak barrels. If there is one thing you get out of the tour is a true admiration for the artistry of the winemaker. Following the tour is a tasting. Arrange in advance what you are interested in, from a general introductory flight to a vertical tasting with Justin's master sommelier Joseph Spellman for $400 a head.

Bottom Line
Prices are pretty reasonable at $395 and $375 a night. Especially when compared getaways in Napa, where prices can reach closer to $1,000 a night. Interestingly, JUST Inn hasn't felt the effects of the recession. 2008 was their best year to date. Perhaps because if there is anything that is recession proof, it's booze. While people may dine out less, they still appear to prioritize a nice bottle of wine to drink at home. (See: Justin Wine Society where there are 13,000 members and a waiting list for their most uber-complex blends.)

Just In Case
Just in case you hadn't noticed, any chance JUST Inn and the Justin Vineyard has the chance, they deliver a Justin-related pun. The best pun is the Justification wine, which was our favorite.

Already pun obsessed prior to our getaway, our companion asked head JUST Inn keeper Sharon if all the punning gets old for her. She politely mentioned that it was the delayed recognition of the cleverness of a pun by JUST Inn guests that was more eye rolling worthy than the puns themselves. So anything snarky said here was Justin jest.

Go here to read a "He Said/She Said" review of The JUST Inn done by HotelChatter's Shira Levine and her traveling companion, David.