SAN LEONARDO

The capricious weather of 2017 has made the latest release of San Leonardo both thrilling and scarce. Quality-wise, 2017 marks the third in a hat-trick of remarkable vintages at Tenuta San Leonardo. Following on from the plush 2015 and the elegant 2016, the 2017 offers a notably rich, spicy style backed by a profound structure. A rainy February charged the soil with water – fortunately, as after a cool start to summer, the weather then turned hot and dry, with large temperature swings helping develop aromatic complexity. September moderated the effect of the summer heat beautifully, with warm sunny days and cool nights allowing the grapes to finish maturing while retaining all-important acidity. The price exacted by Mother Nature for these ideal conditions came in the form of two violent hailstorms on the 6th and 8th of August, which destroyed part of the crop. The total production of San Leonardo 2017 is therefore just 38,000 bottles, half the size of a typical vintage. Harvest began on September 19th with the Merlot, and finished on October 5th with the last of the Carmenère. Fermentation took place in small concrete tanks with indigenous yeast and frequent manual pumping over, before the wine was matured for 24 months in French oak barrels and a further 24 months in bottle before release. L&S (Apr 2022)