San Leonardo

Game, roasted duck, lamb, aged cheeses from cow’s milk, cheese/vanilla soufflé, truffles, and dark chocolate. Some special pairings, courtesy of the Lido Palace Hotel of Riva del Garda: a) Seared beef sirloin with spice crumble and San Leonardo-infused, baked celery; b) Ravioli filled with veal stewed in a San Leonardo reduction and dressed with a fondue of seasoned Trentino Grana.

In 1724 the Gonzaga family acquired by inheritance the De Gresti family estate a monastery and the strategic location from which the whole area would subsequently climb the highest peaks of wine excellence for which it is now known today. Consequently for nearly three centuries Villa Gresti - consisting of 270 hectares of parkland and 30 hectares of organically certified vineyards - has constituted the cradle of a high profile project. Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga was well ahead of his time in two respects: for adopting (far away from the area which later became famous for its Super-Tuscans) the Bordeaux style and grape varieties and for his unique sensitivity to environmental issues which led him to champion them with consistent and active commitment. Today his son Anselmo heads all the activities linked to grapes cultivation and wine production.

The company estate extends over 30 hectares in total, all farmed organically. The elevation is approximately 150-200m above sea level. The Merlot is planted in gravel-rich soils. Sandier, pH-neutral soils host the Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère. The vine training systems are Spurred Cordon, Guyot and Trentino Pergola. The yield is 50–60 quintals/hectare (2.25-2.67 tons/acre).

After fermentation, the “San Leonardo” is allowed to rest and evolve in new and second-hand barriques for two years, plus one year in the bottle.

The grapes are picked when perfectly ripe during the months of September and October. Fermentation is spontaneous with no use of selected yeasts and exclusively in traditional cement vats.