A Sense of Place

The first time Mandy Grassini spotted Justin Willett, the owner and winemaker of Tyler Winery, he made quite an impression. "I couldn't believe how handsome he was," Mandy says. "I had to catch my breath. And that was it, we talked all night." The memorable evening was in early 2011, when a blind set-up (as Mandy likes to call it), was smoothly orchestrated by a mutual friend at a neighborhood watering hole in Santa Ynez, California. Mandy and Justin quickly discovered they both hail from the world of winemaking--Mandy's family owns Grassini Family Vineyards--and share an appreciation for good food, art, antiques and the easygoing California lifestyle. "I never thought I'd meet a 30-year-old winemaker who was the man of my dreams," she says. "It was a very pleasant surprise."