More recently, Justin and his wife Amanda purchased the site that would become Tyler’s new Estate Vineyard. They quickly went to work developing the property, planting 28 acres to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah along with an extensive remodel of the existing ranch house. The Mae Vineyard, in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills, marks the next chapter for Tyler Winery.

In a wine growing region defined by its transverse ranges and valleys, where hills glitter with marine sediment and harbour the ocean's winds, Justin makes wines of clarity and poise. The unique combination of marine soils, a long mild growing season and cool ocean influence make this a truly wonderful place for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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 élevage.

At the Mae Estate on Highway 246, Tyler is in good company. To their west sits Clos Pepe, a vineyard with which Justin had learned to craft the wines of the Santa Rita’s northern corridor. At Mae’s eastern border is Melville’s Westside Vineyard, a collection of small parcels that have long expressed the nuance and diversity of this dynamic winegrowing region. And north of their vineyard is ranch land and the frequent sight of grazing cattle. For well over a hundred years, the Mae Estate property, too, was home to grazing and agriculture.

Gently leaning south and nuanced in its variety of soils, the Mae property commanded an approach to viticulture that would reward patience and longevity. The subtleties of this terroir would be coaxed from these soils by working thoughtfully with vines celebrated for both their transparency and resilience.

The Winery chose to look to their immediate surrounds and work with a balanced collection of California heritage selections and clones that have long thrived in the rugged Santa Rita. In the winter of 2015 they collected the vine material from partners with whom they have cultivated trusting relationships, and after a year’s growth at the nursery, they transplanted the vines in the spring of 2017.

To host their Chardonnay, they chose the lighter soils to the western side of the property, and for the Pinot Noir, the slightly darker, more clay-rich grounds, east and upslope. The Tyler Winery chose to plant the vineyard at half the density of Burgundy - two metres between rows, and one metre between vines - as most suitable for a balanced crop and most ideal for their organic cultivation practices.