2018 San Leonardo
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Tasting notes
This edition from the legendary Tenuta San Leonardo estate in Trentino is presented with an artist-signed label. The special release of 999 bottles features the surreal artwork of Simone Berti. From a cool vintage, the 2018 San Leonardo is incredibly fine and beautiful with a filigree of aromas that recalls wild blackberry, tobacco, pressed rosemary, cherry tartlet and orange marmalade. The wine's elegance is extraordinary, and the mouthfeel is very fine and precise. This classic vintage will certainly appeal to San Leonardo purists. I recommend giving it a long runway to age.
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Fully ripe and rather glorious bordeaux blend with a hint of brine and balsam. Already complete with the ripe fruit almost disguising any tannin. But I'm sure this will last for many a long and even more intriguing year. Excellent persistence. Non showy but friendlier at this stage than some previous vintages. (JR)
A mentholated freshness introduces the 2018 San Leonardo as it slowly blossoms in the glass. Swirling unlocks depths of dusty sage and violets, giving way to white pepper and black currants. This is elegant, lifted and potent. Sour citrus elevates ripe wild berries and savory spices. The 2018 doesn't miss a beat, finishing long and lightly structured, with a framework of fine tannins that gently tug at the senses as blackberry and inner rose notes slowly fade. The 2018 is an understated and youthful beauty that will reward medium-term cellaring. That said, hands off for now because the best is yet to come.
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenère, 10% Merlot. Winemaker is Carlo Ferrini. Spontaneous fermentation and maceration for 12–16 days in small concrete tanks with daily pumpovers and rack-and-return. After racking, malolactic conversion takes place in the same tanks and the wine is left to settle for a few months. After 24 months of ageing in medium-toasted first-, second- and third-passage French oak barrels, the wine is bottled and remains for at least 24 months in the cellars before being put on the market. Dark, impenetrable ruby. Cool blackcurrant nose with a hint of red bell pepper. Succulent blackcurrant palate with the softest of tannins, like everything was handled with satin gloves. Juiciness and elegance on the finish and it reminds me of their cool and elegant 2014. No tannins to speak of, so there must have been a very swift extraction to get all the colour pigments out of the skins. Medium-term drinking only and right now it is in a beautiful spot. (WS)