Caleb Leisure

Caleb came into our awareness because of his internship with Tony Coturri. Before he worked for Tony, he spent time working in academia, as well as with cheese. He also did internships at wineries in the Languedoc and Jura regions in France. In 2014 he returned to California, and his first vintages of wines were harvested in 2016. Just before the 2017 harvest he buried 10 authentic Georgian qvevri underground. He is working exclusively with organically and biodynamically grown fruit and is using zero additions of any kind in the wines.

Enjoy a quick introduction story on Caleb and his wines

 

https://www.calebleisurewines.com/

Ab Ovo — Back to the top

Total Production: 1000 bottles

Age of Vines: 30 years

Soil: Decomposed Granite

Varieties: 70% Mourvedre, 30% Marsanne

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and ferment as whole bunches semi-carbonically in 750 liter georgian qvevri for about 8 days. Elevage continues in the qvevri for 6 months. The wine is bottled unfilterd, unfined, and with zero addition of sulfur. 

 


Caesura — Back to the top

Total Production: 400 bottles

Age of Vines: 30 years

Soil: Decomposed Granite

Varieties: Viognier

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, and fermented with 1/3 of the skins for about 9 days in Georgian Qvevri. The fermenting wine is transferred to bottle to finish fermentation as an orange pet nat, on the lees for about 5 months. The wine is disgorged and has zero sulfur added.


Verso — Back to the top

Grapes: 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Semillon

Vineyard: Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino. 28-35 years old vines on Bearwallow (sandstone)

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand-harvested, co-fermented and aged in qvevri and stainless. 20% of the Sauvignon Blanc goes as whole clusters into qvevri, the remainder is pressed out directly over the clusters. Sealed in qvevri after ferment and pressed after 3 months into stainless steel. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered and has zero sulfur added.

Personality: Tropical, savory, high acid, saline.


Aporia — Back to the top

Age of Vines: 15 years

Varieties: Syrah

Soil: Volcanic loam and clay

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and ferment with some whole bunches, and some grapes destemmed,  semi-carbonically in 750 liter georgian qvevri. Elevage continues in the qvevri for about 6 months. The wine is bottled unfilterd, unfined, and with zero addition of sulfur. 


Mother Sees — Back to the top

Age of Vines: 23 years

Varieties: Roussanne

Soil: Volcanic loam and decomposed granite

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, and co-fermented with all of the skins for about 6 months in Georgian Qvevri. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered and has zero sulfur added.


Mother Knows — Back to the top

Age of Vines: 15 years

Varieties: Marsanne

Soil: Volcanic loam and decomposed granite

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, and co-fermented with all of the skins for about 6 months in Georgian Qvevri. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered and has zero sulfur added.


Other Hand — Back to the top

Age of Vines: 30 years

Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon

Soil: Volcanic and limestone soils

Vinification Method: Grapes are fermented whole cluster in qvevri, pressed after 10 days back into qvevri. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered and has zero sulfur added.


Ah Um — Back to the top

Grapes: 35% Syrah, 40% Viognier, 25% Mourvèdre

Vineyard: Joshua’s Starry Nights Vineyard. 17 years old vines on gravelly loam, schist in the Calaveras County, Sierra Foothills. Farmed biodynamically by Caleb himself

Making of: Co-fermented in qvevri, elevage in qvevri and stainless. No filtration, no fining, no sulfur.

Personality: Fresh light red, bright acidity, red fruit, savory and aromatic.

 

 


Obelus — Back to the top

Grapes: 60% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 20% Mourvedre

Vineyard: 19 years old vines on gravelly loam, schist in the Calaveras County, Sierra Foothills. Organic

Making of: Whole cluster ferment in qvevri and macro bin, pressed after 7-10 days into qvevri and neutral oak for elevage. No filtration, no fining, no sulfur.

Personality: red fruit, spice, leather, candy