San Leonardo in Sarnis, once an ecclesiastical fief, is today a small village synonymous with one of the finest names in the history of Italian wine. It lies in Avio, Trentino, in the Vallagarina Valley, on the left bank of the Adige River, flowing through expanses of vineyards near the Veneto border, surrounded by the Monti Lessini, which protect it from the cold northern winds and receive each day the Ora breeze from Lake Garda, creating a temperate microclimate.
San Leonardo_La Tenuta.jpg1.68 MB The De Gresti family acquired the estate in 1770, and with the marriage of Marchesa Gemma de Gresti to Tullo Guerrieri Gonzaga, grandfather of Carlo, in 1894 it became the property of the Marchesi Guerrieri Gonzaga. The family motto reads “Belli ac Pacis Amator” (“Lover of War and Peace”): once the Terzi — the family’s ancient surname — were men of arms, and Niccolò, son of Ottobono, for the bravery shown in many battles, was called “il Guerriero” (“the Warrior”). The surname Gonzaga was then added in 1506, as a mark of gratitude from Francesco Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua.
The turning point came in 1974, when Marchese Anselmo passed away, leaving his son Carlo — oenologist and connoisseur of the great wines of Bordeaux — the task of giving a new identity to the family estate. Carlo had studied oenology in Lausanne and, after spending time in Tuscany — particularly at Tenuta San Guido — he deepened his knowledge of Bordeaux varieties and the use of barriques. On his return, he introduced many changes in the Trentino vineyards: alongside the traditional pergola, he adopted guyot and cordon training systems, and beside the Carménère (once thought to be Cabernet Franc) and Merlot, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Marchese Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga, a nobleman of great elegance and style — much like his wines — proudly dedicated his life to working the land. Since 2001, he has been joined by his son Anselmo, now CEO of the estate, deeply in love with this Trentino land, its horizons, mountains, and fragrances.
In 1982, from a project by Marchese Carlo, who wished to craft a wine of identity, style, and elegance, San Leonardo was born. The Marchese was convinced that his land possessed the unique traits needed to achieve viticultural excellence. In the cellar, the first barriques were introduced, and the focus shifted from vineyard-based blends to assemblages created after barrel ageing. San Leonardo soon established itself among the icons of Italian winemaking.
The estate covers 300 hectares, of which 30 are under vine: a magical whole, the result of constant care and perfect balance. The vineyards follow the natural slopes and exposure to sunlight. The microclimate is ideal for grape ripening, with wide temperature variations between day and night that enhance aromatic complexity and extend the maturation period.
There are 5 hectares of Merlot, of which 1 hectare is trained to pergola and 4 to cordon spur, at about 150 meters above sea level, on stony soils, once the bed of an Adige tributary. Between 150 and 250 meters a.s.l., the 12 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon are cultivated on sandy soils, together with 4 hectares of old Carménère vines, half trained to pergola and half to guyot. All are low-fertility, well-drained soils, the cradle of the estate’s four wines: San Leonardo, Carménère, Villa Gresti, and Terre di San Leonardo.
Vineyard management, and all agricultural practices on the estate, are carried out with total respect for the environment, earning organic certification at the end of 2018.
San Leonardo
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carménère, 10% Merlot
Harvest usually begins in mid-September with Merlot and continues into late October for Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère. What distinguishes the estate’s flagship wine and gives it its unmistakable identity is its terroir — the warm northern soul of the land that ensures natural balance. Freshness and elegance, after a few years of bottle ageing, are its defining traits, revealed from the first aromas in a slow and fascinating crescendo.
Fermentation takes place in the ancient cellar, using native yeasts in glass-lined cement vats, without technological aids. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, with minimal sulfur use. During vinification, numerous pumping-over and délestage are performed. The long spontaneous fermentations allow for the extraction of fine tannins, while ageing takes place for 24 months in French oak barriques (first, second, and third passage) in the underground cellar, followed by a year of bottle ageing after blending.
San Leonardo_Barricaia copia.jpg1.46 MB Art at San Leonardo
The project Arte a San Leonardo, conceived by Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga and Ilaria Tronchetti Provera, continues its journey. Since 2023, the initiative has explored the dialogue between art and terroir, inviting each year an artist to experience the estate’s seasons and create a bond between their artistic research and the estate’s essence — from nature to landscape, from people to the winemaking cycle.
It reflects on the shared values between the creation of a work of art and the making of a fine wine: the uniqueness of each project and vintage, the cyclic rhythm of time, and the balance of craftsmanship, research, and innovation. Each edition culminates in an artist’s label for a limited series of 999 bottles of the new vintage of San Leonardo.
After Simone Berti (2023) and Marzia Migliora (2024), the third edition features a label by Linda Fregni Nagler, who created five original works inspired by objects from the San Leonardo Museum. Among these, Leonardo da Vinci’s Colmatore was chosen for the artist’s label — rendered in shades of grey, white, and silver, evoking the aesthetics of old photographic negatives.
San Leonardo 2020 With the 2020 vintage, Tenuta San Leonardo has crafted a wine of remarkable classicism and balance. The season was marked by a perfect alternation of sunny days and regular rainfall, promoting slow, harmonious ripening with vibrant freshness and balanced alcohol. The valley’s unique microclimate, influenced by the Ora del Garda breeze and limited direct sunlight due to surrounding hills, preserved finesse and elegance. The traditional Trentino pergola training ensured natural shade for the clusters, preventing over-ripening and preserving acidity and aromatic integrity. The strong diurnal temperature variations in September — up to 20°C — added depth and complexity.
The result is a San Leonardo 2020 destined to be remembered as one of the estate’s most refined and captivating expressions. Ruby red in color, it opens with intense aromas of black cherry, graphite, leather, light toasted notes, chocolate, and balsamic nuances. On the palate, velvety tannins, great structure, vibrant acidity, and remarkable balance lead to a long, persistent finish. A splendid wine.
San Leonardo 2019 A warmer, sunnier vintage than 2018, balanced by cool nights and a harvest that yielded perfectly ripe, high-quality grapes. Deep ruby color. The bouquet reveals wild strawberry and blackcurrant, with hints of tobacco, quinine, herbal notes, clove, liquorice, oriental woods, and a balsamic touch. The palate shows excellent structure, elegant, silky tannins, freshness, and depth, with a long, persistent close. It has a more Mediterranean character than 2018, yet retains the estate’s signature freshness — a wine of warmth, generosity, and great ageing potential.
San Leonardo 2018 A cooler, balanced year, with evenly distributed rainfall and a mild summer. Harvest took place under ideal conditions, preserving the harmony between sugars, acidity, and phenolic maturity. Bright ruby color. Aromas of blackberries and blueberries, fresh menthol tones, dark floral bouquet, tobacco, aromatic herbs, and spices such as nutmeg, liquorice, and incense. The palate is ample, refined, elegant, and balanced, with fine tannins, vibrant freshness, and a long, persistent finish. More classic and “Bordeaux-like” in style than 2019 — an aristocratic, austere yet already pleasurable wine.
Three stylistic interpretations of the highest level, united by fidelity to the timeless identity of the estate, each marked by the distinctive character of its vintage.
🔗 Learn more about Tenuta San Leonardo and its great wines: 🌐 www.sanleonardo.it
