TASTING NOTES
Our 2018 Leese-Fitch Merlot is bright and inviting with aromas of ripe red fruits; raspberry, cherry and pomegranate. Additional aromas of red currants, clove spice and sweet vanilla lead to a medium-bodied, juicy palate. Layers of juicy fruit flavors, black olive and notes of dried lavender add complexity. The wine is rich with incredibly smooth tannins all underpinned with good acidity leaving a long, flavorful finish.
WINEMAKER NOTES
The majority of the Merlot grapes for this wine come from the sun- drenched California regions of Lodi and Clarksburg. Lodi fruit brings bright, warm weather characteristics while the slightly cooler Clarksburg region brings the structure as well as the enticing briar patch aromas. Merlot from Wilson Vineyard in Clarksburg and the Schatz Family Vineyard in Lodi comprise the majority of the fruit. Our long-term growing partnerships with these growers allow us intimate knowledge of the vineyards and we pick the fruit at ultimate ripeness. For this 2018 vintage we added a small amount of Petite Sirah and Tempranillo to craft a very juicy and approachable wine for everyday enjoyment.
About Leese-Fitch
The wines of Leese-Fitch are wines that celebrate the deep heritage of California embodied in the iconic Leese-Fitch Adobe built in the 1830s and still at home in the historic town of Sonoma, California today. More than simple wines from California, these wines classically represent each varietal from which they are made.
Truly a representation of everything California, Leese-Fitch was born in the town of Sonoma. The state of California was also born in this now quiet, rural town. Before the glitz of Hollywood, prior to the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and the innovation of Silicon Valley – in California there was the town of Sonoma. Early one Sunday morning, General Vallejo, who possessed the land grant that included the town, heard a knock at his door. A small, yet heavily-armed group of Americans requested that he surrender Sonoma. The General, who later went on to serve in the California State Senate, peacefully acquiesced. To legitimize their conquest, the Americans drew a crude rendition of a grizzly bear on canvas along with the words “California Republic.” In the center of the Sonoma Plaza a new flag was raised. The Republic of California was born
