Ad Ripa Happy Canyon Cabernet 2022

This wine belongs to a conclusion that has been forming slowly around Justin Tyler’s work, one reached not through any single bottle but through repetition, consistency and time. Long renowned for his command of Burgundy’s varieties—Pinot Noir and Chardonnay rendered with clarity, restraint and an unforced sense of place—Justin has more recently turned his attention to Bordeaux grapes. The shift feels neither abrupt nor strategic. Instead, it reads as a natural extension of a winemaker who has always worked outward from site, proportion and patience.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot now show the same quiet attentiveness that defines his Burgundian wines. These are not wines chasing declarations or big stylistic gestures. They are shaped by Santa Barbara’s warmer corridors, coastal evenings and wind-shaped hillsides, with the conditions on the ground setting the terms. As the vintages have accumulated, the picture has clarified. For many critics, and for those who have followed the arc closely, Justin Tyler now stands as one of Santa Barbara County’s most complete and thoughtful winemakers, fluent across grape families without losing his sense of place.

2022 Ad Ripa Cabernet Sauvignon “RSW,” Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara fits squarely within that understanding. It settles into the glass with calm, not urgency. Cabernet here is driven by Happy Canyon as tension more than raw power—warm days tempered by Pacific influence, elevation and exposure carving clarity into the fruit. Ad Ripa, Latin for “by the riverbank,” nods to the Santa Ynez River’s role in moderating the site and to a philosophy that favors balance over force.

RSW comes from a defined hillside parcel where drainage, slope and airflow matter as much as variety. The 2022 vintage—measured, even and refreshingly sane—sets the tone early. Aromatically, the wine opens on blackcurrant and crushed blackberry, then moves into more savory territory: bay leaf, graphite, dried sage and the resinous edge of canyon chaparral warmed by afternoon sun. Oak is present but well integrated, showing as cedar, cocoa powder and structure, not sweetness.

On the palate, the wine has line and direction. Medium plus in body, it emphasizes shape, not sheer size, delivering dark fruit with cool definition. Cassis and black cherry give way to pencil lead, bitter chocolate and a faint saline note that feels distinctly of place. Tannins are fine grained and steady, providing framework without weight, while acidity keeps the wine alert and composed through the finish.

What ultimately defines the wine is its equilibrium in the glass. Ripeness, structure and freshness show together, none overwhelming the others. The result is a Cabernet that feels considered, not constructed, and that gains dimension with air while working naturally at the table.

RSW highlights something Happy Canyon does particularly well when approached with restraint: Cabernet with clarity instead of volume. In Justin Tyler’s hands, it becomes another chapter in a body of work that feels increasingly complete—proof that real attentiveness can move across varieties without losing its sense of place.