San Leonardo 2016 (Tenuta San Leonardo)

Cellar for up to 20 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. The iconic wine of the estate, the San Leonardo is only made during the best vintages. Crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Merlot, this is an exquisite Bordeaux-style blend with a thoroughly Italian soul. Over the past few decades the current owner Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga has built a solid reputation for crafting some of Italy’s most inspiring wines thanks to his philosophy of showcasing the elegance and purity of the grape varieties he works with. The grapes used for this magnificent wine are harvested at optimum ripeness and each variety is fermented and aged separately. After maturing the wines in cement tanks for a time they are transferred to oak barrels where they spend 18 to 24 months ageing. It is then time to taste through all of the barrels and decide the final blend before the bottling is done. The finished wine is then aged in the bottle for another year until it is deemed ready for release. On the nose there are complex aromas of forest fruits, dark chocolate, tobacco and green bell pepper, while the first sip reveals a firm structure and tannins, full body and intense dark fruit flavours. The flavour profile and powerful nature of this wine mean that it will continue to develop and evolve if cellared over the next decade or two. It can also be enjoyed now alongside hearty dishes like steak, beef stews or game.