2007 San Leonardo
Buying options
Tasting notes
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenère, 10% Merlot. Transparent ruby. Meaty nose with some real evolution. Sweeter start than for some other vintages, starting to be really mature. Lovely thought-provoking liquid that you could really spend time with. Not to be served with too assertive a dish. Relatively light-bodied but all in balance.
Critic scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2007 San Leonardo is hauntingly dark yet elegant and refined. The 2007 displays a mix of dried black cherries, currants and a hint of vanilla bean, further blossoming to reveal sweet tobacco and rich brown spices. Soft textures usher a set of ripe wild berry fruits, further complemented by vibrant acids, creating a sweet, juicy and balanced expression. Round tannins tug at the cheeks, framed by lingering minerals and savory herbs. The 2007 is drinking wonderfully right now, showing a more fruit-forward and extroverted version of San Leonardo in no danger of decline.
My feeling is that the 2007 San Leonardo has yet to shows its mettle or true grit. There has been a long-standing competition between the 2006 and 2007 vintages in many parts of Italy including Brunello and Barolo. But the mountainous vineyards of Trentino may actually find a brighter future in 2007 compared to the highly-acclaimed 2006 vintage. I say that because only here do diurnal (night versus daytime temperature shifts) play such a fundamental role in the future development of wine. In Trentino, 2007 was characterized by warner summer temperatures for darker concentration and fresh autumnal nights for developing aromatic intensity. I believe that mountain wines will show greater results down the road in 2007 compared to other parts of Italy.
About the producer
Tenuta San Leonardo is a legendary estate in Alto Adige. Here in the northern reaches of Italy, the Gonzaga family has been producing elegant, Bordeaux-inspired reds that compete with the world’s best since the 1970s.