Cellar Favorite: 2016 Tyler Cabernet Sauvignon Happy Canyon Vineyard RSW

BY BILLY NORRIS | JULY 27, 2026

The 2016 Tyler Cabernet Sauvignon Happy Canyon Vineyard RSW is the first Cabernet Justin Willett made for Tyler, bottled and labeled as a tribute to his late father, Rory Steven Willett (RSW). Justin Willett sourced the fruit from a block of head-trained vines originally planted in 2001 with cuttings from Napa Valley’s famed To-Kalon vineyard. A decade on, the 2016 RSW has settled into its tenth year in absolutely suave, sophisticated style. Richly textured and lavishly layered with dark red cherry fruit, mocha, incense, exotic spice tones and a classic, old-school lift of California bay laurel, the RSW is evolving at a glacial pace. Time has merely rounded the edges, allowing the firm, chalky tannins to melt and the sheer opulence of the fruit to mellow ever so slightly. A wine that feels like it’s on cruise control and can easily carry for another 10-15 years, the 2016 is impeccably polished and completely in the zone. It easily stands toe to toe with its much more “lauded” cousins to the north. The 2016 RSW stands as both a moving tribute to Willett’s father and a testament to the heights Cabernet Sauvignon can reach in Santa Barbara County. 96/Drink 2026-2040.

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