Tyler - Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2021

Justin – a champion of old vines – has since engaged the famed historic vineyards of Santa Barbara, including the region-defining Sanford & Benedict, in the Santa Rita Hills. Great effort has been made to seek out vineyards of pedigree and establish close collaboration with those growers.

More recently, Justin and his wife Amanda purchased the site that would become Tyler’s new Estate Vineyard. They quickly went to work developing the property, planting 28 acres to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah along with an extensive remodel of the existing ranch house. The Mae Vineyard, in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills, marks the next chapter for Tyler Winery.

With a firm belief that winemaking starts in the vineyard and the sincere desire to have minimal impact on the environment, grapes are farmed organically, handpicked at night, and sorted by hand at the winery. In the cellar, all lots are fermented using native yeast in large oak vats, and once dry the wines are put down to barrel for their elevage. The use of new oak varies by vineyard, vine age, and vintage and is used in a way that only complements, never overshadowing the wine. After a year or so in barrel, the wines are racked, blended, and returned to the barrel for a few additional months before being bottled, typically unfined and unfiltered.

Tyler is dedicated to producing wines of delicacy and balance, where structure and nuance are favored above all else. They believe wine should be elegant and honest, and possess aromatic purity and textural complexity. To best convey the individuality of each site, they try to be modern in their thinking and classic in their approach.

The Santa Barbara County Chardonnay is composed of grapes from the Bien Nacido, Dierberg, La Rinconada, and Sanford & Benedict vineyards. Aromatically the wine has notes of flint, white chalk, with a combination of stone and citrus fruits and a hint of florality. On the palate, the wine is extremely mineral-driven with notes of white pepper and green apples.

"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. Drink: 2022-2030.” - 95 Points, Wine Advocate

Producer: Tyler

Country: USA

Region: California

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Santa Barbara County

Vintage: 2021

Size: 750ml