Red • 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Carmenere (may vary by vintage)
Tasting Notes
Pairs With
ColorBrilliant ruby red with attractive depth.
NoseThe aromas are alcohol and fruit-rich when thewine is young, mellowing with bottle aging into ripe plum fruit layered over a faintlygrassy background note. black-cherryblackcurrantred-cherryredcurrant
FlavorDry, soft and well-balanced on the palate, it reveals a pleasingbitterish twist in the finish. Good aromatic length.
Trentino At a Glance
Region NameTrentino
In the northernmost reaches of Italy, close to the Austrian border, the dramatic landscape is a fitting backdrop to one of the world’s most important wine-producing areas.
Score: 90Vintage 2020James SucklingHerby accents of green olives, white pepper and stems to the fresh red cherries and tobacco leaves. Juicy and medium-bodied on the palate with fresh acidity, crunchy fruit and firm tannins. Slightly herbal, but not over the top. Drink now.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 92Vintage 2019Wine EnthusiastThis wellcrafted blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Carmenère has a deep core of mixed red- and black-hued fruits on the nose combined with tobacco leaf, mixed peppercorns and baking spice. Supremely balanced with fine tannins and fresh acidity keep the dark and rich fruit flavors in check. Drink now to 2035.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 91Vintage 2019Vinous MediaAlways a pleasure on the nose, the 2019 Terre di San Leonardo wafts up with crushed raspberry, bay leaf, sage and white pepper aromas. This glides across the palate, silky and refined, with a lively mix of mineral-tinged red fruits and licorice. It finishes classically dry, yet fresh, with lingering wild berries and pretty inner florals. There's a lovely alpine feel to the 2019, a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Carménère.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 90Vintage 2019Wine SpectatorFragrant with milled pepper, dried dill and thyme notes, this fresh, medium-bodied red layers flavors of roasted plum and currant, cedar and loamy earth with light, creamy tannins that firm the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère. Drink now through 2028. 8,000 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 92Vintage 2018James SucklingBrimming with redcurrant and blackcurrant aromas, together with notes of mint and sage and a touch of spice. On the mid-weight palate there’s an excellent balance of restrained juiciness, healthy tannin and nice freshness. Still youthful. A cuvée of 50% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot and 10% carmenere. Drink or hold.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 90Vintage 2018Vinous MediaThe 2018 Terre di San Leonardo is peppery and floral with crushed wild berries and pomegranate. This is a soft and focused expression, with an inner herbal character and tart red and black berries that cascade across its mineral core. It leaves a staining of primary concentration and hints of sour citrus, along with a coating of round tannins that frames the expression well. The 2018 has a lean and very classic San Leonardo personality. That said, it will be best enjoyed with a meal.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 89Vintage 2018Wine SpectatorA fresh red, with hints of iron and loamy earth underscoring blackberry, rose hip and cigar box notes layered with crisp tannins. Spiced finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère. Drink now. 8,000 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 92Vintage 2017James SucklingA very elegant, mid-weight Bordeaux blend with delicate red-fruit and fresh-sage aromas and just a hint of bell pepper. I love the interplay of subtle fruit, meaty character and fine tannins through the long, silky finish. Drink or hold.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 91Vintage 2017Vinous MediaThe 2017 Terre di San Leonardo keeps you coming back to the glass to take in its intense bouquet of spiced raspberries, black licorice, crushed chalk and peppery florals. This is silky with depths of dark wild berries and inner herbal tones, all accelerated by brisk acids and a subtle hint of sour citrus. It leaves the palate reeling, lightly structured yet spry, as a primary coating of red and black fruit slowly fades. The warmth of the vintage has imparted another level of richness that isn’t often found from the Terre di San Leonardo, making it an excellent option for near-term enjoyment. This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Carmenère from the younger vines on the San Leonardo estate.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 90Vintage 2017Wine SpectatorAn herbaceous red, offering a cured tobacco and spice box character, as well as a tang of iron that underscores the bright flavors of ripe red and black currant fruit with olive and smoke. Light, taut tannins show on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère. Drink now through 2027. 8,000 cases made, 1,200 cases imported. Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 92Vintage 2016Wine AdvocateThis is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère with fruit contributions from across the estate vineyard holdings. The well-priced 2016 Terre di San Leonardo is a terrific sounding board not only for the vintage and its classic lines but also for the unique San Leonardo territory and microclimate at the Adige River bed between mountain peaks. The wine opens to a medium-light appearance with dark garnet highlights. The aromas are delicate and soft, with a lot of blue flower and wild rose. A refreshing layer of forest berry and cassis come next, and the bouquet finishes up with mulling spice and smoke. There is a point of sour cherry or cranberry on the finish. This is a large production, with 95,000 bottles.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 91Vintage 2016Vinous MediaThe 2016 Terre di San Leonardo Rosso is an excellent introduction to the producer and their style. The wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Carmenère from younger vines, yet the same terroir of the flagship San Leonardo. The bigger difference here is in the composition, with Merlot taking a front seat to Carmenère, and in the aging, using a blend of 80% concrete and 20% French oak for a shorter period of time. That said, the Terre di San Leonardo is intended to be the fresher and more immediate wine of the house. Crushed black cherries, wild, peppery herbs, crushed stone and hints of animal musk can be found in the glass. It trades power for tension, displaying a mix of tart woodland red and black berry fruits, complemented by zesty acids and minerals with just a hint of sweet spice. Its structure is present yet doesn’t overwhelm.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 91Vintage 2016James SucklingA lightly herbal red with impressions of dried hay, redcurrants and cranberry pie. Light to medium body, fine yet firm tannins and a medium finish. Drink now.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 89Vintage 2016Wine SpectatorFragrant notes of loamy earth and medicinal herb underscore flavors of ripe red currant and raspberry fruit in this fresh and focused, medium-bodied red. Light tannins show on the spiced finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère. Drink now through 2025. 7,500 cases made, 1,350 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 90Vintage 2015Vinous MediaVery deep ruby. Herbs, tar and spices complicate ripe blue and black fruit aromas on the nose. Then more austere but classic in its cool-climate Trentino style of Cabernet Sauvignon, cedar, graphite and blueberry flavors. The finish is long and flinty, but this tastes a little lean currently; cellaring will help it show better.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
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