Tenuta San Leonardo : Riesling 2021

Tasting notes and recommendations for Tenuta San Leonardo Riesling 2021

Tasting

Appearance

The color reveals a golden yellow hue, reflecting the grapes’ phenolic ripeness and the influence of aging in oak barrels.

Nose

The bouquet shows great complexity, with aromas of lemon zest and crisp green apple. Notes of melon, tropical fruits, and sweet spices enrich the whole, accompanied by honeyed nuances and a subtle smoky touch.

Palate

The attack is both supple and remarkably fresh. The elegant structure is supported by fine acidity, while the silky texture reveals harmonious integration of oak. The palate unveils flavors of white peach paired with a lingering minerality.

Food and wine pairings

This Riesling pairs ideally with seafood, white fish in a lemon sauce, sushi and sashimi. It also goes very well with blue cheeses, fresh cheeses and washed-rind cheeses, as well as steamed shellfish and light vegetable dishes.

Serving and cellaring

Riesling 2021 should be served chilled, at a temperature between 7 and 10°C.

An Italian Riesling from Trentino-Alto Adige aged in oak barrels

The estate

Founded in 1724, Tenuta San Leonardo has been run by the Guerrieri Gonzaga family for more than three centuries. Now led by Marchese Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga, this Trentino-Alto Adige estate spans around three hundred hectares, with about thirty dedicated to viticulture. Certified organic since 2018 and named Winery of the Year 2025 by Gambero Rosso, the estate obtained Equalitas certification in 2024. The property is famed for its Bordeaux blends and revived Riesling production in 2013, reconnecting with a 19th-century winemaking tradition.

The vineyard

This Riesling 2021 comes from plots located in the Cembra Valley, in Alto Adige, at an altitude between 600 and 700 meters. The vines, ten to thirty years old, are planted on sandy-silty soils of morainic origin with a porphyry base. Southwest-facing, they are trained in Guyot with a density of 6,000 vines per hectare and controlled yields of around 80 quintals per hectare. The altitude and wide temperature swings encourage aromatic development and preserve the grapes’ natural freshness.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage was marked by a mild, rainy winter followed by a spring punctuated by frost episodes that did not affect the estate’s high-altitude vineyards. The months of June and July were particularly rainy, followed by a period of weather instability between mid-July and mid-August. The beneficial rains at the end of August enabled optimal ripening, revealing generous, well-balanced berries.

Winemaking and aging

After cold skin maceration for around twelve hours, the Riesling 2021 grapes are gently pressed. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks at low temperature for twenty to twenty-five days. The wine is then aged for twelve months on fine lees in 700-liter French oak barrels used for the first and second time, to soften the grape variety’s pronounced character while giving it a unique identity.

Grape variety

100% Riesling