2017 Tyler Winery Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard N-Block, Santa Maria Valley, California, USA

ABOUT THIS WINE

Of the three blocks of Bien Nacido old vines Tyler Winery works with, ‘N Block’ is consistently their favorite. We have worked this parcel since 2009, and there’s something about these old Martini vines that is wonderfully impressive and complete.

Reminiscent of old school California pinot noir, these old vines produce a wine of precise intensity and textural depth. It coats the palate with a silky-smooth texture carrying notes of dark berry, dried flowers and forest floor, resulting beautifully in a wine of pure class and power.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

A son of Santa Barbara, Justin Tyler Willett began Tyler in 2005 at the age of 24 with a few barrels tucked away in the corner of the Sta. Rita Hills cellar he was working in at the time. It was there, as the assistant winemaker, he honed his approach to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 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. 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.