Critics reviews
Monica Larner - 30/12/2014
About this WINE
Tenuta San Leonardo
Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia.
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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.
Monica Larner - 30/12/2014
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