With high ceilings, cozy leather couches, clean white tile countertops, and walls adorned with some essential vintage posters, the new Tyler x Lieu Dit tasting room on Canon Perdido is an oasis of calm. The on-trend minimalist design serves as the perfect canvas for vibrant pops of color and flavor from their beautiful selection of ruby-red Pinot Noirs, scarlet Cab Francs, and peachy Rosés.
Its generous space, shared menu, cozy decor and plentiful beverages also make it an ideal spot for a social evening with friends or an intimate gathering for two. Justin Willett, the winemaker behind Tyler and Lieu Dit, hadn’t planned to have both of their Santa Barbara tasting rooms in one location, but when they found the former home of Fresco’s Café next door to Lobero, the opportunity just made sense.
“This is what we all imagined without knowing it,” explained Gennevieve Pelletier, who co-owns the shop with the Willett family. As she graciously walked me and a friend through tastings of their two wines, we realized it’s no accident that the bar exudes Brooklyn charm. Pelletier lived in Williamsburg and was a member of the Tyler Wine Club when she met Willett. She attended one of his wine nights at Charlie Bird restaurant in the city, they hit it off, and he showed her some of the new wines he was working on. “We tried the Lieu Dit brand and realized it was right up our alley,” Pelletier said of his line of Rhône-style varietals. “We knew we wanted to be more active one day.”
After that fateful night, the friendship was born. Pelletier and her family decided to fully pursue their dream of opening a tasting room with Willett in Santa Barbara and moved here in 2021.
“We’re all involved in the space; it’s family and locally owned,” Pelletier said of her inviting tasting room and wine bar, where you might find Pelletier, her husband, or Willett pouring any day. Her chef, Jake Reimer, who is also the executive chef at popular local brasserie The Black Sheep, also exudes that family mentality. When we talked about Schoch Dairy and Creamery’s impeccable sour cream butter, he eagerly came to our table to explain where he gets it and why it’s so damn good. (Just FYI: It’s a family-run and sustainable farm in Salinas, where their small herd of cows munch on the freshest grass and clover.)
While Reimer is undoubtedly talented and meticulous in sourcing his materials, he also enjoys sharing his appreciation and inspiration with the entire Tyler x Lieu Dit team.
“This is the culmination of Justin and the team and their travels,” he explained. Both Willett and the Pelletier family have traveled extensively throughout Europe and share a mutual love of the food and wine culture there.
“The menu is inspired by our travels through Europe and our experiences in wine bars in Paris and Spain,” said Pelletier.
The food sings with the sophisticated yet playful notes of French bistro cuisine. No visit would be complete without ordering the “Presidio Picnic,” which includes orange-peeled olives with Santa Ynez olive oil, Riviera bread sourdough with the aforementioned addictive butter, and delicious saucisson (thinly sliced sausage). The pickle plate is a feast for the eyes and the belly. Made with a selection of seasonal vegetables that the chef hand-picks each week at the farmers market, our particular version was a stunning tableau of purple cauliflower, yellow and green candy-like tomatoes, green kohlrabi, and more.
“Our menu is heavily French inspired, but we source all ingredients as locally as possible,” said Pelletier.
Their food also pairs beautifully with their wine selection. For example, Lieu Dit’s crisp Sauvignon Blanc is a zesty and refreshing companion to the tart flavors on the pickle plate, and their Pinot Noir or Cabernet Franc luxuriously enhances the savory notes of the Casitas Valley pork rillettes. All of this eating and drinking is even more fun when you can share and compare your favorite snacks and drinks with company.
“The community aspect of the menu is important,” Pelletier said.
While Willett’s inspiration for the menu is wide-ranging, his wine business is purely local production. Willett began his apprenticeship with the great winemakers at Sanford Benedict and began producing his own Tyler label in 2005 at age 24. Their latest development is Mae Estate Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills, where he farms organically and sources his grapes from 28 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah for their Tyler label. The ocean soils, long growing season and cool ocean breezes, coupled with Willett’s knowing hand and attentive care, result in structured and elegant Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. I was particularly taken with the fresh and not too buttery Mae Estate Vineyard Chardonnay and the balanced and bright Mae Estate Pinot Noir.
The tasting room offers wines from both brands for tasting, by the bottle and by the glass, so there is something to suit every taste. “There is not much overlap between the two brands in terms of grape varieties,” said Pelletier.
Tyler specializes in Chardonnays and Pinots, while Lieu Dit, founded by Willett in 2011, focuses on Loire Valley varieties bred in SB County.
I was introduced to Lieu Dit when the lovely Tara Penke offered me a taste of her Chenin Blanc at Gala Restaurant. Until then, I didn’t think I liked Chenin Blanc, but a fresh sip of this brand blew me away. The entire Lieu Dit selection is a hit, and that may be purely a summer influence, but my personal favorites were the dry but crisp Rosé made from Cabernet Franc from Happy Canyon and Rock Hollow vineyards, and the effortlessly fresh Sauvignon Blanc. By the time we finished our final tastings, I was barely willing to move from my pillow-lined corner.
“We feel like we’re more than a tasting room,” Pelletier said of their vision. With a diverse selection of wines, delicious snacks that go way beyond bar food, and a genuine sense of hospitality that’s both familiar and sophisticated, this new self-service oasis is much more than just a tasting room. It’s a welcoming place to meet, share and enjoy, and I can’t wait to return.
Tyler x Lieu Dit is located at 23 East Canon Perdido Street. See tylerwinery.com/visitfor more information and to book a tasting. Spontaneous visitors are also welcome, subject to availability.
