Tenuta San Leonardo, Terre di San Leonardo, 2023
Tenuta San Leonardo, Terre di San Leonardo, 2023
- 75cl
- 13%
- Red Still
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère
- Organic
Couldn't load pickup availability
Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2032
Est. delivery in October, 2026
Tenuta San Leonardo is one of the great names of Italian Cabernet, and while the estate's flagship bottling demands years of patience, the Terre di San Leonardo is its more approachable, immediately charming sibling. Made from the same Bordeaux varieties grown on the estate in the Valle di Lagarina in Trentino, the 2023 is a wine to drink with pleasure rather than file away: bright, fluid, and alive with red fruit and floral lift, with just enough structure to remind you who made it.
This is the everyday expression of a house that takes Cabernet seriously - lighter in body than the grand vin but no less carefully made. The 2023 vintage brought freshness and aromatic precision to the blend.
The Terre di San Leonardo is built for near-term pleasure rather than long-term development. Right now, in 2026, the primary fruit is vivid and expressive and the structure is well-integrated. Over the next four to five years the wine will settle into a slightly more rounded, savoury register as the fruit softens.
What the critics say:
"The 2023 Terre di San Leonardo displays unexpected depth as a burst of crushed raspberry mixes with woodland herbs, pine shavings and dusty earth. It is lifted and vertical in build, slowly gaining tension through a core of tart red fruits and minerals as rosy inner florals resonate toward a close. A tinge of white pepper lingers through the distinctly salty finale, as the 2023 leaves a subtle tug of tannins and hints of sour citrus that refresh the experience. The Terre di San Leonardo represents unparalleled value."
"A spicy and peppery wine with aromas of dark fruit, cassis and hints of leaves and peat. Very expressive, crisp and light-bodied, with chalky, lightly framed tannins. Match it with food. Drink now."
Tasting Notes
AppearanceClear, mid ruby with a bright, youthful rim.
NoseFresh red cherry and wild strawberry lead, with crushed violet and a faint herbal note that speaks to the Carmenère in the blend. There's a clean, cool quality to it — more Alpine freshness than Mediterranean warmth.
PalateLight-to-medium bodied with silky tannins and good acidity keeping everything lively. Red plum and blackcurrant leaf come through alongside that characteristic Carmenère spice — gentle pepper and a hint of graphite. The texture is fluid rather than weighty.
FinishClean and refreshing, with a flicker of mineral grip and a lingering herbal edge.
Overall impressionA seriously made, light-touch red that wears the San Leonardo house style with elegance rather than ambition.
Food Pairings
In the Valle di Lagarina, this style of wine would naturally find its way to the table alongside a plate of carne salada — the local salt-cured beef, sliced thin and dressed with olive oil and rocket. Polenta with mushrooms and speck would be another natural match, as would a simple roast chicken with herbs. Locals might also drink it with strangolapreti, the spinach and bread dumplings common across Trentino, where the wine's freshness cuts through the richness of the butter and sage. It's the kind of bottle that disappears on a Tuesday.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 15-16°C — slightly cooler than a big Tuscan red, which lets the freshness and floral lift come forward. No need to decant for long; 20-30 minutes in a carafe will open it up nicely, but it's not a wine that demands ceremony. A standard Bordeaux-shaped glass works well, giving enough room for the aromatics without overwhelming the wine's relatively light frame.
The estate sits in the Valle di Lagarina in southern Trentino, where the valley narrows and the climate is shaped by both Alpine cool nights and the warming influence of Lake Garda to the south. Soils are predominantly alluvial gravels and glacial moraines over clay, which drain well and give structure without heaviness. The altitude and diurnal temperature swings preserve freshness and aromatic definition — exactly what you want from a Cabernet-led blend at this level.
The Terre di San Leonardo sits under the broad IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti designation, which gives the estate the freedom to use Bordeaux varieties and blend without the constraints of the local DOC rules. Trentino DOC exists alongside it but is less relevant to San Leonardo's style. The IGT framework is common among Italy's most ambitious producers — it was precisely this flexibility that allowed estates like San Leonardo and Sassicaia to define a new category of Italian fine wine outside the traditional appellation system.
Trentino's 2023 growing season was shaped by the broader Alpine pattern of a warm, dry summer punctuated by useful rainfall at key moments — enough to keep the vines honest without tipping into stress. The high diurnal range that defines this part of northern Italy did its usual reliable work, preserving acidity and aromatic definition even as daytime temperatures climbed. Growers who managed canopy carefully and were patient about picking dates were rewarded.
The result is a vintage we find quietly impressive rather than flashy: whites with real tension and grip, and reds with good structure without the kind of extracted weight that warm years can produce in less favoured sites. Teroldego and Lagrein in particular seem to have held onto their characteristic mineral bite. Most whites are drinking well now; the better reds will reward another year or two in the cellar, with the top Teroldegos comfortable until 2028 or beyond.
FAQs
What does Terre di San Leonardo taste like?
Think fresh red cherry, crushed violet, and a gentle herbal-spice note from the Carmenère in the blend. It's lighter and more fluid than you might expect from a San Leonardo label — closer to an elegant Loire Cabernet Franc in feel than a big Napa red. The tannins are silky, the acidity is bright, and it goes down easily.
How does this relate to the main San Leonardo wine?
The flagship Tenuta San Leonardo is one of Italy's most age-worthy Cabernet-led reds, the kind of wine that needs a decade in the cellar before it starts to show its best. The Terre di San Leonardo is the estate's more approachable expression — same vineyard, same Bordeaux varieties, same house precision, but designed to be opened now rather than filed away.
When should I drink the 2023 vintage?
It's drinking well right now and will remain at its best through to 2032. There's no particular reason to wait, and plenty of reason to open it tonight.
What food works well with this wine?
It's versatile in the best possible way. Think roast chicken, pasta with a light meat ragù, cured meats, or anything with mushrooms. The fresh acidity and light tannins mean it won't overwhelm delicate dishes, but it has enough structure for something with a bit of fat or savouriness.
Is this wine worth cellaring?
Not particularly — this isn't what it's built for. Unlike the grand vin, the Terre di San Leonardo is designed for pleasure in the near term. Drinking it between now and 2032 is the sweet spot.
How should I serve it?
Slightly cooler than you might expect — around 15-16°C. A short stint in a carafe (20-30 minutes) will open it up, but it doesn't need lengthy aeration. A standard Bordeaux glass is ideal.
Explore related wines
What are you looking for tonight? Tell me the occasion, a grape, a region — or just try a suggestion below.
Your recommendations will appear here.
-
-
Speak to one of our Wine Gurus
Speak to a Wine GuruWith years of experience, our team can help you with all your wine buying and selling needs