Wine Advocate 95
"The 2021 Chardonnay overdelivers for its appellation-wide status. It has pretty scents of quince, poached pear, spring honey, chalk and roasted almonds. The medium-bodied palate is satiny, savory and expansive with dynamic flavor layers and a very long finish."

Tasting Notes
"The 2021 Chardonnay has detailed scents of lemon peel, crme frache, hazelnuts and white flowers. The palate is dynamic, its satiny texture enlivened by youthfully citrusy flavors and tangy acidity, and it finishes long and energetic."

Grape Varieties
100% Chardonnay

Farming Practices
Practicing Organic

Terroir
Santa Barbara AVA
Sourced from Bien Nacido Vineyard, Dierberg Vineyard, La Rinconada, and Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
Planted in 1973, 1990, 1997, 1971 (respectively)
Loam, Sandy loam, clay loam, and shale soils (respectively)

Winemaking
100% Native Yeast Fermentation
Whole cluster pressed to tank, settled briefly before being moved to another tank for fermentation
No Battonage and full Malolactic Fermentation
Aged 11 months on the lees in barrels and puncheons (10% new)

The Estate
Few of Californias young winemakers possess the regional mastery that is illustrated by the work of Justin Willett, of Tyler winery. A son of Santa Barbara, Justin began Tyler in 2005 with eight barrels tucked away in the corner of Arcadian Winery, where he honed his approach to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as assistant winemaker. Justin a champion of old vines has since engaged the famed historic vineyards of Santa Barbara, including the region-defining Sanford & Benedict, in the Sta. Rita Hills, and more recently, Bien Nacido, in the Santa Maria Valley. He is looking forward, too: just last year, Justin began planting a Sta. Rita Hills estate vineyard a forty-five acre property, with some twenty-six acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Here, in a winegrowing region defined by its transverse ranges and valleys, where hills glitter with marine sediment and harbor the oceans winds, Justin makes wines of clarity and poise. His wines lead with structure and persistence; they evoke confidence, focus, and vibrancy. Justin is the first to tell you that these are virtues of terroir: they are not created in the cellar, but delicately drawn forth.

All grapes both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are handpicked at night, before being further sorted by hand at the winery. Pinot Noir is evaluated for stem-inclusion, and then the cold fruit is soaked for three to five days, until a native yeast fermentation begins. Both punch-downs and pump-overs are implemented; maceration often lasts some two weeks before the wine is pressed to tank and then barrel for elevage. The use of new oak varies by vineyard, vine age, and vintage, however most barrels used are neutral. After a year in barrel, the wine is racked, blended, and returned to barrel before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.