Lieu Dit is a partnership of longtime friends Eric Railsback and Justin Willett. The two met in Santa Barbara while Eric was finishing college and Justin was just beginning his career in winemaking. They were among a small group of young winemakers and restaurateurs in Santa Barbara unified by a common interest in wine and all its mysteries. 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. Each vintage, the quest for purity, elegance and balance in every wine is paramount.
Their Cabernet Franc (a parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon) is sourced from own-rooted vines planted at the Happy Canyon Vineyard in the east side of the Santa Ynez Valley. This region is highly-prized for its warm days and exceptionally cool nights, which gives grapes ripeness, complexity and freshness at the same time. Fermented using native yeasts and aged in neutral oak barrels (to preserve the natural flavors of the grapes), this earned a wonderful 93 points from Antonio Galloni!
ANTONIO GALLONI 93 POINTS - "The 2023 Cabernet Franc is aromatic, bright and nicely lifted. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, white pepper and dried herbs open beautifully, giving the 2023 gorgeous aromatic presence and breadth. The purity of the fruit is front and center."
Their Cabernet Franc (a parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon) is sourced from own-rooted vines planted at the Happy Canyon Vineyard in the east side of the Santa Ynez Valley. This region is highly-prized for its warm days and exceptionally cool nights, which gives grapes ripeness, complexity and freshness at the same time. Fermented using native yeasts and aged in neutral oak barrels (to preserve the natural flavors of the grapes), this earned a wonderful 93 points from Antonio Galloni!
ANTONIO GALLONI 93 POINTS - "The 2023 Cabernet Franc is aromatic, bright and nicely lifted. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, white pepper and dried herbs open beautifully, giving the 2023 gorgeous aromatic presence and breadth. The purity of the fruit is front and center."
