San Leonardo 2016 Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT - Tenuta San Leonardo

San Leonardo 2016 – Tenuta San Leonardo

San Leonardo is the great red of the Guerrieri Gonzaga marquises, made at Avio in the Vallagarina, between Monte Baldo and the Lessini mountains, at the southern tip of Trentino. Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga, who trained at Tenuta San Guido under Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, created it with the 1982 harvest; since then it has only been released in vintages deemed worthy.

It is a Bordeaux blend with a distinctive twist: alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot there is Carmenère, long mistaken for Cabernet. The vines grow on the pebbles of an ancient Adige riverbed. Fermentation takes place in small cement tanks with native yeasts, followed by about 24 months in first-, second- and third-fill French oak barriques.

2016 is a splendid vintage, fresh and balanced, which produced a San Leonardo of real class: cassis, blackberry, herbs, sweet pepper, graphite and very fine tannins. Together with Sassicaia, one of Italy's historic Bordeaux blends; for the cellar, or today with lamb, fillet steak or game.

At a glance: Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Carmenère 30%, Merlot 10% · 13.5% ABV · 0.75 l · Tenuta San Leonardo, Avio (TN)