The Italian Bordeaux: San Leonardo

In northeastern Italy you will find the region of Trentino. It’s a beautiful, mountainous region that is well known for its vibrant, mineral-laden white wines. However, what many people don’t know is that one of the great examples of an Italian take on the Bordeaux blend is made in Trentino. When we think of Bordeaux varieties grown in Italy, the first place that comes to mind is Bolgheri, in Tuscany. Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia has been the Italian standard bearer of the Bordeaux blend for decades, and its cost reflects its popularity, with new releases costing upwards of $160 a bottle. But what if you could buy a wine of equal pedigree with a truly unique, Italian stamp on the Bordeaux blend for a third of that price? That’s where Trentino and Tenuta San Loenardo comes in.

Owned since 1784 by the noble Guerrieri Gonzaga family, Tenuta San Leonardo has a storied past that goes back over 1500 years. However, it wasn’t until the early ‘80s that the Marquis Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga decided to create a wine styled after the wines of the Haut Médoc, in Bordeaux.

It was at this time that local varietals were replaced by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The 740-acre estate, surrounded by mountains, dedicates 50 acres to vines in its well-drained soil of chalk, clay and sandy sediments. The climate can be unpredictable, and its frequent rain around harvest time is challenging; yet through vigorous vineyard management and grape selection, Tenuta San Leonardo continues to produce wines of prestige that can live for decades in your cellar.

The wines see six months in 60-hectolitre Slavonian oak and then into small French oak (some new and some once or twice used) for 24 months. This is followed by a year of resting in bottle before release. When the wines first hit the market, they can be difficult to understand, with their notes of tart berries and bell pepper seeming lean against the wine’s angular tannins. However, through aging, San Leonardo begins to truly shine. A recent vertical going back almost twenty years showed that these wines are truly gems. They are intense and focused with palate-coating fruit, earth and herbs, brisk acidity and remarkable length.

This is not the Bordeaux blend that you’ll find in today’s Bordeaux, California, or Tuscany. This is what it could be if fruit extract wasn’t the primary focus of so much winemaking today. And although it’s not for everyone, this wine is certainly worth trying, because it’s a pure expression of terroir, and it may be the exact thing that you’re craving. In this taster’s opinion, San Leonardo is one of the best Bordeaux blends being made today.

On to the notes:

1993 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed vibrant red currants, chalky minerals, green leaves, mint and a hint of spice. On the palate, it started bright and exciting with zippy acidity yet balanced against velvety textures with red berries, earth and a hint of green pepper. The finish lingered with greenery and crushed wild berries. (94 points)

1995 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed red berries, expressive dried flowers, red licorice, brown butter and earthy minerals. On the palate, it was lean yet focused with sour, tart red berries, mineral salinity and herbs. The finish lingered and slowly melted from the palate. (92 points)

1996 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed black currant, herbs, earth, chalk and minerals with intense exotic spices. On the palate, it was intense and focused with a rush of velvety texture that mellowed into sweet dark fruits and a contrast of mineral salinity. The finish lingered with notes of tea leaves, green pepper and herbs. (95 points)

1997 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose was dark and brooding, showing fig, black pepper and green leaves, with dark and sensuous spicy undertones. On the palate it was soft and inviting with medicinal herbs and red berries, green pepper and inner aromatic spices. The finish slowly faded with drier red fruits and herbs. (90 points)

1999 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed dark ripe berries, cherries, browned butter, dark chocolate, and a hint of pepper. On the palate, it was intense with mouth-coating black fruits that turned savory and earthy yet maintained its full body and rich fruit. Pepper and red berries lasted through the medium-long finish. (92 points)

2001 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed black cherries with chestnut, undergrowth, animal musk and a bit of greenness which did not detract but instead added an earthy element to the aromatics. One the palate, it presented a medium-bodied wine with perfect balance as more cherries, cranberries and cocoa showed through. The finish was finessed with red fruit and left the palate refreshed. I would recommend this wine to anyone looking to explore northern Italy and the red wines it is capable of producing. (92 points)

2003 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed red and black, slightly roasted fruits, a note like childhood vitamins, dark chocolate and buttery crust. On the palate, it was lean yet fresh with sour red berries and hints of herbs. The finish was staying with red berries yet tart. (89 points)

2004 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed a slight sheen of oak with ripe wild berries, dark chocolate, hints of manure and pepper. On the palate, it was intense with tart red berries, very dark chocolate, herbs and saline minerals. Mixed berries and pepper lasted through the long finish. The ’04 is still a baby and may one day rival the ’96. (94 points)

2005 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed ripe dark fruits and sweet floral notes. On the palate, it showed brisk acidity lending a juicy component to its flavors of tart mixed berries and wild herbs. The finish showed hints of green with peppery notes. (91 points)

2006 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed lean raspberry, mountain herbs and hints of manure. On the palate, I found lean red fruits, savory notes and rough tannin that stayed through the palate-coating finish. It’s an excellent example of cool-weather Cabernet and worth trying. (92 points)

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Spotlight on: Agricola Punica

Last September I published a piece called “The Wild Wines of Sardinia,” which was inspired by a number of producers and wines that had impressed me from the region. Fast-forward, a year later, and one of those producers has become a staple of the Italian section of my cellar; Agricola Punica.

Carignano grapes on the vine

Agricola Punica is a collaboration of Giacomo Tachis, Tenuta San Guido and Sardinian producer Cantina di Santadi, producing Carignano-based wines in the Sulcis region of Southern Sardinia. Sardinia is an island located 125 miles off the east coast of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a region of Italy that has a very unique climate. In the southwest corner of the Island, it is a perfect environment for the Carignano vine. The winter is mild and wet while the summers are hot and dry, with the scirocco (African winds) blowing across the Sardinian Sea. This mixed with the baking sun allows Carignano to achieve the necessary level of ripeness.

 However, it’s not just the ripe concentration that makes these wines so exciting; instead it’s the amazing balance of concentration and acidity, combined with expert winemaking, which creates wines of elegance and style with a true Italian flair. Both wines are exciting and, sometimes, downright sexy. 

The unique and very affordable Montessu continues to amaze me for the price compared to what’s in the bottle. In the $20 - $25 range, this is a bottle that should be in every Italian wine lover’s cellar. However, it’s the Barrua that has continued to turn my head at each tasting. The Barrua is a single vineyard bottle that’s 85% Carignano with a mix of Cabernet and Merlot. It’s rich, yet spicy, elegant and balanced, with a structure that begs for 3 - 5 years in the cellar.

On to the notes:

2008 Agricola Punica Barrua – The nose showed deep, dark red and blue fruits with hints of herbs. On the palate, it was medium-bodied with great concentration balanced by zesty acidity with red currant and spice. The tannins were present but beautifully integrated with its core of ripe fruit. The finish was long and staining to the palate, as blue and black berry flavors slowly faded away. (93 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

2008 Agricola Punica Montessu – The nose showed intense ripe berries, sweet spices and field herbs. On the palate, it was velvety smooth with mouthwatering acidity and dark brambly fruits. The finish was long yet refreshing. This wine would make a great accompaniment to braised meats and heavy meat sauces. (91 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!




Reference tools:
The official website of Agricola Punica
Agricola Punica at Kobrand Wine and Spirits

The Wild Wines of Sardinia

Sardinia (or Sardegna) is an island in every sense of the word. It’s considered part of Italy yet still holds many ties to its past ruler, Spain. Its location puts it just as close to Italy as it does from the northern tip of Africa and the most northeastern tip of Spain. Because of this, the climate is remarkably different from its Italian neighbors across the Tyrrhenian Sea, as well as its soil. And its wines, as they can be thought of as Italian, are quite different and often made from indigenous grapes that are not found on the mainland. In fact, I find it hard to compare the wines of Sardinia to any other wine-growing region that I’ve experienced.

Up until 25 years ago, the wines of Sardinia were created in mass with the intention of making bulk wines or heavily alcoholic, almost sweet wines that would be shipped to the mainland and used for blending purposes. However, as these vast vineyards were uprooted in the ‘80s and a new perspective on modern winemaking was introduced, the slow revitalizing of Sardinia’s winemaking has been underway.

Most notable, of the Sardinian wine-making revolution, was the entrance of Giacomo Tachis, in a joint venture with the makers of Sassicaia (Tuscany) and Santadi of Sardinia to create Agricola Punica. Tachis had come to believe that the Carignan, or Carinena, grape had found its perfect home in the sandy soils of Sardinia. Carignan is not a grape that’s usually associated with fine wine; yet here, it has been turned into something truly special and is absolutely worth seeking out. My experiences with both of the bottles they produce have been eye-opening. The wines are all at once concentrated, vibrant, spicy… in a way… sexy.

Another notable Sardinian winemaker is Attilio Contini, one of the oldest and most prestigious wine producing establishments in Sardinia, is also the producer who first peaked my interests in Sardinian wine. Located in the mid-western part of the Sardinian island and with a full range of indigenous varietals making a very unique set of wines. Their premier bottle, Barrile, which is made from 85% Nieddera, is a wine that maintains almost electric vibrancy while still delivering masses of spicy fruit, dark nuances and details. Not to mention, in recent tastings, my guests have scored it higher than a number of top Italian wines.

Then there's Alessandro Dettori, on the north west of the island. Dettori can easily be compared to Frank Cornelissen of Sicily in his approach to natural winemaking. Refusing to use chemical fertilizers in the field and only a trace of sulfur in the bottles, Dettori believes that wine itself can be made without human intervention and that it is the “winemaking” that should be removed from the process. Dettori uses a number of indigenous grapes, such as Pascale and Monica, to create truly unique Sardinian wines and suggests that bottles should be opened and left to air for hours or even days before enjoying. These are truly wild wines, and although they may not be for everyone, they are worth trying to expand your palate.

On to the notes:

2007 Agricola Punica Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi IGT (60% Carignano - 10% Syrah - 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - 10% Cabernet F - 10% Merlot) - This wine showed a dark purple core, which faded to ruby red around the rim. The nose showed raspberry jam yet also had a sour berry component. Further exploration brought spicy cola and a dark earthiness to the front. On the palate, I found wild berries, which were sour yet soft with allspice and a hint of vanilla. This wine showed impeccable balance that leans toward acidity, which makes it great with or without food. It is modern yet shows a remarkable finesse and a juicy core of fruit. (91 points)

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2004 Agricola Punica Barrua Isola dei Nuraghi IGT (85% Carignano - 10% Cabernet S. - 5% Merlot) - This was a big and brooding wine with confectioners sugar, rich blackberry jam and star anise on the nose. The palate showed sour wild berries at first but gave way to richness and dusty black cherry over time. It was dry yet juicy all at once with a wall of concentration that’s offset by vibrant acidity and faded into a long berry finish. (92 points)

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2001 Attilio Contini Barrile Isola dei Nuraghi IGT (Nieddera) – The Barrile had a dark ruby red color. The aromas wafting up from the glass were amazing and reminded me of a savory, buttery, veal and herb sauce. Digging deeper, the fruit came forward and showed currants and a bit of vanilla. The palate was racy and, dare I say, sexy with a push and pull of tannin verse acidity waging war and revealing black currant, baking spice and black pepper with a long red licorice finish. (93 points)

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