Lieu Dit

When Justin Tyler Willett of the eponymous Tyler wines was first starting on his journey into wine, there was one region that he kept coming back to: France’s Loire Valley. Then, in the mid-2000s, as now, the region’s top names were affordable, and Justin valued them for their purity, terroir-definition, and their food-friendly character.

Many bottles were shared with Eric Railsback, a young sommelier who, among other positions ran the wine program at Gordon Ramsay Los Angeles, and led the sommelier team at RN74 in San Francisco.

In 2011 they decided to start Lieu Dit wines, recognising how the soils and climate of Santa Barbara could suit the Loire’s famed grape varieties. Lieu Dit is the French word for a named place, usually used in the context of a vineyard, and these are wines that hark back to their origins. 

Now run solely by Justin, the goal of Lieu Dit is to produce “simple, delicious, honest wine”. With wines made from the grapes Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Cabernet Franc, the results deliver character, at an approachable price point. Alcohol levels are moderate, oak is used sparingly, and the wines are made in a way to emphasise fruit purity and elegance.

Delicious across the range, they’re something of a hidden gem of Santa Barbara.