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"Lieu Dit is a project headed by Justin Willett of Tyler Wines and Eric Railsback, former lead sommelier at Michael Mina's RN74.

“I like the leaner style - the bright mineral side. Richer wines have been the notion of California for the last twenty years. But… it’s refreshing to make wines that have a little more restraint.” - Justin Willet

After countless bottles shared together and many trips to France, Railsback and Willett decided to found Lieu Dit in 2011 and focus it solely in the varieties indigenous to the Loire Valley, now grown in Santa Barbara County. The varied micro-climates and marine based soils of Santa Barbara County are ideally suited to this set of grapes. Lieu Dit centers on Sauvignon Blanc and more limited bottlings of Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Rose and produces around 2500 cases annually. Each vintage, the quest for purity, elegance, and balance in every wine is paramount.

Fruit for this bottling was sourced from three different vineyards to the eastern edge in the Santa Ynez Valley in the AVA Happy Canyon. The fruit was picked on the early side, whole cluster pressed into tank and then fermented in both stainless steel and in neutral barrels. After fermentation, all lots were put in neutral barrels through the winter before being racked a few months prior to bottling. The finished wine is mineral-driven, focused, and racy style that speaks more to Sancerre than to the riper, richer styles typical of California and other warmer climates." - Winery