2010 Tyler Winery Zotovich Family Vineyard Chardonnay

Tyler Winery was started in 2005 when Justin Willett, a young Santa Barbara winemaker, decided to make his own wines. He’d been an assistant winemaker for Arcadian Winery but started sourcing grapes from such legendary local vineyards as Bien Nacido and Sanford & Benedict. More recently he’s acquired his own Sta. Rita Hills estate vineyard where he has planted 26 acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Antonio Galloni of Vinous has rated Tyler wines in the mid- to high-90s and described Tyler’s 2015 vintage like this: “Justin Willett made some of the most memorable wines of the 2015 vintage. His Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are exceptional…. As always, Willett’s style is one of grace and understatement….”

Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a 12-mile long, narrow strip of an appellation wedged along the eastern hillsides of the Santa Lucia mountain range. Given its proximity to Big Sur and the Gabilan Mountain Range to the northeast, Santa Lucia a cool-climate wine growing district. Morning sun is often followed by maritime winds and fog in the afternoon, a weather pattern that prolongs the growing season and means long, gentle ripening of the grapes. Spanish missionaries planted vineyards in the district in the 18th century, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that modern winemakers planted vineyards and began making high quality wine. The district received AVA status in 1991 and today there are 6,000 vineyard acres in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Pinot Noir is the dominant grape planted, followed by Chardonnay and Riesling.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.