San Leonardo, Tenuta San Leonardo 2016

Deep, dark and sensual, the 2016 Tenuta San Leonardo lifts from the glass with an alluring mix of crushed blackberry and plum. With time it blossoms further to reveal tobacco, brown spice, white smoke and peppery florals. It's velvety and wonderfully textural, yet also energized by a complex mix of stimulating acids and minerals, giving life to ripe fruits, as youthful tannins slowly clamp down. The finish is incredibly long and structured. There’s energy and verve, mixing black raspberry with hints of licorice under an air of purple-tinged flowers. The 2016 has a lot to like, quite primary today but a year away from release. This early preview, which has been bottled for a year now, is full of potential. Very nice!