Can you talk us through the Sebastiani family history and why you chose the name Leese-Fitch for this particular range?
It all started with my great-grandfather, Samuele Sebastiani, who emigrated from Tuscany to California, through Ellis Island, around 1895. Having initially worked hauling paving stones from quarries in Sonoma, he started making wine around 1904, selling it from his cart, before buying the winery site in 1909. Then my grandfather, August Sebastiani, really expanded the winery and this was passed down to my dad, Don.
Don is the fourth generation of the Sebastiani family. Pictured is his father, Don Senior with his father, August and Samuele Sebastiani who first came to California in 1855.
I’m the fourth generation and grew up in the original Sebastiani winery before we sold a proportion of the estate to Constellation and Foley in the early noughties. Around the same time, I set up a new wine business, Don Sebastiani and Sons, with my dad and brother August, with a focus on quality and creating appellation-driven wines and I assumed the role of running Don & Sons in 2009.
We are based in Sonoma and we all live here, but the winery (we call it Steelbird Cellars) is 15 minutes away in Napa. For me, wine is about family and legacy, so I wanted to create a range that reflected our heritage in Sonoma, with a throwback to something my grandfather might have developed.
The Leese-Fitch Adobe (a traditional clay brick structure) was the home of the first Don & Sons office and boy does this building have history. It’s a two-storey Monterey Colonial-style adobe on Sonoma Plaza built in 1836 and named after the brothers-in-law of the founder of Sonoma.
It’s been the Pacific Division Headquarters of the War Department, HQ of the US Navy, a few stores, a million different restaurants and even a couple of brothels, before it became our home. We pay homage to this Sonoma legend with our Leese-Fitch range.
What defines these wines in terms of their character and from where do you source the grapes?
These wines are about classic California vibes; understated, with moderate alcohol levels, making them super food-friendly. They hark back to the old-school California winemakers who really knew how to let the grapes shine.
What really sets them apart is how we source: we believe in using the right grapes for the right style, so different horses for different courses. For instance, our Big Smooth wine is all about that modern, jammy style, thanks to the warm, sugar-rich Lodi grapes. But for other wines, we go to cooler coastal areas like Clarksburg. It's a bit of a hidden gem, but it produces some beautifully balanced wines.
Even though our wines might carry the broader California appellation, our Sonoma winery is bringing in grapes from top spots like Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino too. Each of these regions adds its own character to the final product, but Clarksburg is our workhorse, the backbone for a lot of our wines, giving us that consistent quality we can count on year after year.
The most famous grape varieties from California seem to be well covered?
Early morning sunshine across the Don Sebastiani & Sons' vineyards
Absolutely. These are well-priced wines making them perfect for everyday enjoyment. We have some wines where we shoot for high scores in specific appellations, like our Petite Syrah, or we’ve even made an orange wine, but that’s not the focus here. With this range, we’re all about making wines that are easy to love. Even the names are straightforward because if you’re explaining, you’re losing. We’re keeping it straightforward, approachable and delicious.
As well as the Leese-Fitch wines, there’s another range that’s just arrived in the UK too, so explain the name ‘The Path’ and how that differs?
The name ‘The Path’ offers some room for interpretation, which we love. One of the inspirations is a path in Sonoma that follows the old railroad tracks, leading to the docks on San Francisco Bay. These tracks once ran right through the middle of the old Sebastiani vineyards. It’s a big part of our family’s history. I even remember the trains when I was young. These days, it’s a bike path, a main artery of Sonoma.
Beyond that, the name could also represent a journey into Californian wines because this range is entry-level but incredibly drinkable. For “The Path’, we also broaden our sourcing to include Paso Robles, Lodi and the Central Valley while Paso Robles plays a significant role.
When people look for value, they often turn to Chile or Argentina, but ‘the Path’ brings them into the world of Californian wines. The focus on being varietally correct, with all the notes and tones you’d expect, is crucial for all our wines, but especially for ‘The Path’. We don’t want our wine to taste generic, they should proudly represent their varietal.
Where do these both these ranges sit within in the Don Sebastiani family portfolio?
So, looking at the big picture, going back to when the family parted with the Sebastiani property, it was both a blessing and a curse. It would, of course, be awesome to have your own winery with your name in lights, but this has pushed us to find new and innovative ways to market my family and our brands.
Each brand has its own journey. In terms of our value pyramid, the lower-priced wines are higher volume and ‘The Path’ is like the tip of the spear for entry-level wines, steering people towards California and away from other entry-level options.
Leese-Fitch, on the other hand, is our heritage brand, the most important one in our portfolio, both in the US and internationally. When we start a conversation, it’s always with Leese-Fitch.
Why are you excited to be working with Lanchester Wines?
Don Sebastiani says he is excited about its new UK partnership with Lanchester Wines
We see this as a long-term, sustainable partnership. I can see us having team catch-ups for the next decade, maybe over some beers and tequila shots. We’re over the moon about the time the Lanchester Wines team has spent getting to know Max (Franks, export director), Omar (Percich, CEO) and our whole Don & Sons team. We know we’re going to deliver something great together. We’re appreciative, excited and optimistic because this is an exciting opportunity for all of us.
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that partnering with other family-run businesses is like finding your tribe: there’s this instant connection, like an unspoken understanding, you just get each other without needing to explain, so working with Lanchester Wines feels natural because we’re on the same wavelength.
Mark, tell us why you’re excited to be listing these new wines?
As with everything we do at Lanchester Wines, first and foremost, it is about quality and Don Sebastiani & Sons is no exception because quality is at the heart of what they do. From our very first meeting at ProWein with Max (Franks) and later, online, with Donny, their passion for crafting exceptional wines was evident.
We were particularly impressed by the family's deep roots in Sonoma, a legacy that adds to the authenticity and richness of their wines. These selections offer exceptional value combining varietal character with affordability, making them perfect for both commercial settings and personal enjoyment.
Where do they fit in the Lanchester Wines portfolio and what does it say about that portfolio more generally?
Lanchester's Mark Roberts says it was the quality and value combination backed by the multi-generational family story that brought them to work with Don Sebastiani & Sons
As the Lanchester Wines portfolio has evolved, premiumisation has been key to our growth and success, and the wines from Don Sebastiani & Sons align perfectly with this strategy.
We’ve always believed in curating a portfolio that balances quality with cost efficiency - offering wines that consumers love while ensuring our valued customers can maintain healthy margins. Both Leese-Fitch and The Path reflect our commitment to responding to customer demand for high-quality wines at competitive prices.
I would say they are testament to our ongoing efforts to build a portfolio that meets the needs of the modern wine drinker while delivering value to our partners.
Where in the market - both on and/or off trade - do you see these wines having the most appeal?
Don Sebastiani & Sons has crafted a wine portfolio that makes the California category accessible across both the on and off-trade markets. This flexibility is a significant advantage, allowing us to introduce these wines in a variety of settings. For most of our branded wine portfolio, we see growth and development, particularly within both the on-trade and independent sectors, where the quality and character of these wines can truly shine.
There’s a neat family synergy between Lanchester Wines - famously family-owned - and Don Sebastiani?
Don Sebastiani & Sons is able to source fruit from multiple sites in California
Absolutely. Whether it’s branded, agency or bulk wines, we actively seek to partner with businesses who share our ethos and the Sebastiani family, with its rich tradition, commitment to quality and exceptional service, embodies values that resonate deeply with us.
California can be pricey, due to its popularity and also the effect of the strong dollar, yet these wines offer the kind of value that could hit the ‘house wine’ price point?
One of the things that we admire most about Don Sebastiani & Sons is their realistic approach to making Californian wines accessible. The team consistently deliver fantastic quality at an approachable price point, making the category more inclusive. By maintaining a strong focus on value, they ensure that their wines are not only competitive in the market, but also attractive to UK consumers.
These wines represent exceptional value, seamlessly blending varietal character with affordability, offering a true representation of California’s finest wine region, without the hefty price tag typically associated with this region.
The current vintages of the Don Sebastiani wines stocked by Lanchester Wines are as follows: Leese-Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon 2021; Leese Fitch Chardonnay 2022; Leese Fitch Old Vine Zinfandel 2019; Leese Fitch Pinot Noir 2020; The Path Cabernet Sauvignon 2021; The Path Chardonnay 2022; The Path Merlot 2020; The Path Pinot Noir 2020. For more information, please visit www.lanchesterwines.co.uk/DonSebastiani.
* For more information about Don Sebastiani & Sons go to its website here.
* Lanchester Wines is a commercial partner of The Buyer. You can find out more about what it does here.
