# Terre di San Leonardo (2021)

- **Producer:** Tenuta San Leonardo
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère
- **Region:** Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €18
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** grass, blackcurrant, green bell pepper, red cherry, black cherry, cedar, cloves, vanilla, tobacco, leather, earth

## About this wine

Terre di San Leonardo 2021 is an Italian red wine from Tenuta San Leonardo, located in the Trentino-Alto Adige region under the Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenère, reflecting the estate's approach to creating Bordeaux-style wines with a unique Alpine character. The estate itself is a historic, family-owned property with a long-standing winemaking tradition, emphasizing minimal intervention. The specific terroir of the region, influenced by the nearby Dolomites and Lake Garda, contributes to the wine's distinctiveness.

## Interesting facts

- The name 'Terre di San Leonardo' means 'Lands of San Leonardo'.
- The estate has a winemaking history spanning over a millennium.
- Carmenère, a less common Bordeaux grape, thrives in this Alpine microclimate.
- Tenuta San Leonardo converted to organic viticulture in 2015.

## Food pairing

The wine's medium body and refined tannins complement the protein in meats, while its fresh acidity cuts through richer sauces. Herbal notes in the wine can echo herbs used in cooking, creating harmonious pairings.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Terre di San Leonardo 2021 involves fermentation in concrete vats or stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts, with a maceration period of 12-18 days. Following fermentation, the wine is aged for 18 months, with 80% in large Slavonian oak casks and 20% in French oak barrels. A further refinement period of at least 6 months in bottle precedes its release. The estate practices organic viticulture, having converted in 2015 and achieved certification in late 2018.