PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Justo carries a genuinely playful name behind it — a deliberate blend of the English word "Just" and the Italian word "Giusto," meaning "right," reflecting the wine's own guiding philosophy: a wine that's simply "just right" for any occasion. As Cesari's own copy puts it, "Justo emerges from an experimental and emotional dimension. It is an innovative and unconventional wine, capable of adapting to various drinking occasions thanks to its easy-to-drink character." Cesari itself was founded in 1936 by Gerardo Cesari, who set out specifically to produce an Amarone capable of competing with the world's great red wines; his son Franco joined in the early 1960s to expand the estate into international markets, and today Franco's children, Gerardo and Deborah, continue the family tradition while bringing innovative technology into the estate's two state-of-the-art cellars.
Justo is a blend of 60% Corvina and 40% Merlot, sourced from vineyards in Valpolicella Classica, harvested in the last ten days of September following a growing season that closed out with a warm, breezy September, keeping humidity low. The wine is made in a genuine appassimento style — the grapes are dried for a short period, roughly 20 days, a deliberately abbreviated version of the technique used for Amarone, giving the wine real depth and concentration without the heavier weight of a fully dried-grape wine. Following skin maceration of about 15 days, the wine completes malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, where it ages for a year before a short rest in bottle.
Champion Wine Cellars' tasting found "a deep, bright, and intense red color," with "notes of ripe fruit and cherry" on the nose, "a bold structure, yet with a smooth and velvety mouth-feel" — one reviewer compared it to "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" for how well-balanced the fruit, tannin, and acidity all come together. Wine Dispensary's tasting confirms "an expressive bouquet of ripe cherry, plum, and red fruits, elegantly complemented by hints of vanilla and spice," the palate "soft and velvety, with a very important structure," offering "a rich mouthfeel and balanced profile thanks to the gentle drying technique." A separate retailer's tasting describes it as "elegant and berry-like with a sense of prunes and cherries and a slight hint of chocolate," "silky and round in the aftertaste." This is genuinely easy-drinking, well-crafted Veneto red — real appassimento depth in a wine built specifically for versatile, everyday enjoyment.
Cesari 2021 Justo Veneto Rosso IGT is produced by Gerardo Cesari S.p.A., founded in 1936 in Fumane, Verona, in Italy's Veneto region. The wine is a blend of 60% Corvina and 40% Merlot, sourced from Valpolicella Classica vineyards on varied soil types, harvested in the last ten days of September.
Grapes undergo a short appassimento drying period of roughly 20 days before approximately 15 days of skin maceration, followed by malolactic fermentation and one year of aging in stainless steel tanks, with a short rest in bottle before release. Bottled at 12.5-13.5% ABV, 750ml.
No independently confirmed major critic score is available for this product at this time.
Gerardo Cesari (official technical sheet):
"Freshness, lightness, and versatility are the defining features of Justo. On the eye, it reveals a deep red colour with vibrant, intense highlights. On the nose, ripe fruit and cherry notes emerge, while the palate offers a soft, velvety texture with a light, balanced structure."
Nose
Deep, intense ruby red. Ripe cherry and plum lead, joined by red fruit, raisin, and prune, alongside vanilla and spice.
Palate
Soft and velvety, with a bold yet balanced structure, carrying cherry and dried fruit, developing a slight hint of chocolate.
Finish
Silky and round, closing smooth and approachable — genuinely easy-drinking and versatile.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | Veneto IGT (Valpolicella Classica), Italy |
| Variety | 60% Corvina · 40% Merlot |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Producer | Gerardo Cesari S.p.A. |
| Founded | 1936, by Gerardo Cesari |
| Style | Appassimento (short-dried grapes, ~20 days) |
| Maceration | ~15 days on the skins |
| Aging | 1 year, stainless steel, plus brief bottle rest |
| ABV | 12.5-13.5% |
| Style / Identity | An innovative, easy-drinking, appassimento-style red — genuinely balanced and versatile |
| Aromas & Flavors | Ripe cherry, plum, dried fruit, vanilla, hint of chocolate |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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