Product Description
‘BRIGHT & BRILLIANT’ BORDEAUX BLEND FROM ITALY’S PRESTIGIOUS SAN LEONARDO
"Unlike some over-the-top Cab blends, this is an elegant, medium-bodied winethat respects its origins. Coming from a top producer, with a great price (under $16), this wine is a definite ‘no brainer’ as we like to say! Having tasted both the 2012 and 2013 vintages, I actually prefer the 2013 for its greater intensity, length and brighter fruit. The fruit comes from the same vineyards as their higher end and limited production wine called San Leonardo Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, which normally sells for over $60 a bottle, and so I call it a ‘Baby San Leonardo.’ Enjoy!"- Jim Knight, Wine House (2/22/17)
FROM THE IMPORTER
Estate owned by: Marchesi Guerrieri Gonzaga
Winemaker: Carlo Ferrini
Vineyards: 62 (35 Ha)
Winery Production: 250,000 bottles
Region: Trentino
Soil: Sandy to pebbly soil; loosely packed
Vine Age: 5- 25 years
Varietals: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot
Fermentation: Concrete tanks
Aging: 18 months (Slovenian oak barrels), 6 months (French barriques)
Bottle Aging: 6 months minimum
Wine Description: The varied microclimates of San Leonardo favored the introduction of international varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, cultivated at the higher elevations, and Merlot, grown in the low lands of the estate. Terre di San Leonardo is a youthful interpretation of the microclimate, a classic Bordeaux style blend, which retraces the terroir path trod by its prestigious sibling San Leonardo, matching its intensity and refined elegance.
Tasting Notes: Brilliant ruby red with attractive depth. The aromas are alcohol and fruit-rich when the wine is young, mellowing with bottle aging into ripe plum fruit layered over a faintly grassy background note. Dry, soft and well-balanced on the palate, it reveals a pleasing bitterish twist in the finish. Good aromatic length.
ABOUT TENUTA SAN LEONARDO
Located in the Vallagrina, an area carved out by the Adige river, Tenuta San Leonardo enjoys a temperate climate that benefits from the Ora del Garda wind. Once a medieval fief that spanned over 740 acres, Tenuta San Leonardo has been producingwine for centuries. Under the ownership of the Guerrieri Gonzaga family since the mid-18th century, this estate has often been the setting of historical events, from the marriage of Longbard kings to the negotiation of the WWI armistice with Austria.
Today, San Leonardo has approximately 50 acres of vineyards planted with international varietals that thrive in the varied microclimates of the estate. The majority of the vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, but Carmenere, Cabernet Franc and Merlot are also abundant. Cultivation is focused on low yields and highly concentrated grapes. The resulting wines have a great depth, concentration and an aristocratic finesse that can go toe-to-toe against the world’s finest Bordeaux blends.
