Tyler Wines

Growing up in Santa Barbara, Justin’s connection to this corner of California runs deep. It was while working at Arcadian cellars in the Santa Rita Hills as Assistant Winemaker, having studied at the University of the Pacific on a golf scholarship, that Justin decided to start producing a few barrels of his own wine.

It was 2005, he was just 24 years old, and Tyler was born. 

Now, almost two decades on, Justin has established Tyler as one of California’s most exciting wineries. Justin speaks with confidence and wisdom about his vineyards and winemaking, and his wines have an understated assurance to them. He has outstanding connections with the owners of some of the best vineyards in the region, and that gives access to excellent fruit.

More recently, Justin has put his money where his mouth is, purchasing a ranch with his wife in 2015, on which they’ve planted 28 acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and a tiny amount of Syrah. This has been named Mae Estate.

And in 2021 Justin led a partnership which took on ownership of the legendary Fiddlestix vineyard. All of this has given him greater control over his supply. He farms organically, albeit not dogmatically, with a real focus on holistic vineyard health.

Meanwhile, in the cellar his are wines that are unencumbered by winemaking techniques, or heavy use of oak. Rather, they’re sophisticated wines with individual vineyard definition in spades: Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays with a real sense of place, but with more than a half an eye on Burgundy.

Justin works with some of Santa Rita Hills’ most celebrated vineyards – from Sanford & Benedict, La Rinconada, and Fiddlestix. But don’t overlook his entry-level wines, with a blend of vineyards from the region, that outperform their price points; nor his refined, impressive Cabernet Sauvignons. Justin is clearly a winemaker of many talents.