San Leonardo, Cabernet Franc, 2021

Est. delivery in 2025.

Special offer: £348 IB/case on purchase of two or more cases.

We are delighted to be able to offer the second vintage of San Leonardo C.F., and not only is the quality through the roof, it is even more limited than the 2020, with a maximum of one thousand bottles available. Moreover in a world of rising costs, we have kept the 2021 price identical!

The 2020 came about due to a quirk of history at San Leonardo. Part of the legend was the discovery in the 1990 that vines across the estate previously believed to be Cabernet Franc were in fact Carmenère – which, whilst associated more with Chilé than Trentino, is more widely planted in Northern Italy than you might imagine.  As Carmenère was not a permitted variety in the region at the time, San Leonardo continued the narrative that the blend was Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The last vintage that was labelled as such was 2008.

However, there does exist at San Leonardo a solitary 0.5ha vineyard, planted in 1989, using the traditional pergola system, that is in fact 100% Cabernet Franc. In the past it has been added in very small quantities to some of the estate’s other wines, until the 2020. San Leonardo’s longstanding consultant winemaker Carlo Ferrini, the most respected Italian oenologist of his generation, was so impressed by the quality of the Cabernet Franc that he thought it should be brought into the spotlight and vinified as a single variety.  Cabernet Franc, due in part to climate change, is becoming ever more prominent and will be a grape you will hear a lot more about over the coming years – never more true than in Bordeaux, Tuscany and South America – quite literally enjoying its time in the sun.

"The vintage is glorious, a vintage of light, and the vines have responded in a terrific way. The organic cultivation added to many of the biodynamic practices we have adopted have given the fruits a great life inside and this is reflected in the wines. Alcohol always extremely well balanced not exceeding 13.00 % which gives the possibility of great drinkability as usual. Wines are very ripe and ready but have lovely acidity."
Marchese Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga, San Leonardo

We’ve had the 2020 numerous times recently and it just keeps getting better and better. With 2021 being a supremely beautiful vintage, and knowing the unwavering dedication to excellence from Anselmo and Carlo, this is going to be rather special to say the very least.

What the critics say about San Leonardo

“Surely the most successful Bordeaux blend of Northern Italy” Jancis Robinson
“...astoundingly consistent quality… beautifully low-key and like the most refined red bordeaux imaginable”. Jancis Robinson
“…one of the great wines of Italy… Sassicaia and San Leonardo seem like brothers separated in childhood” Monica Larner
“This blockbuster Bordeaux Blend from Trentino is clearly the Sassicaia of the north.” James Suckling