Tenuta San Leonardo Villa Gresti

More than 1,000 years ago, it was a monastery, but for over 3 centuries now San Leonardo has served as the residence of the Marquis Guerrieri Gonzaga family, its proud custodians. Today, the San Leonardo estate is a garden of vineyards and roses, protected by the massive barrier of the Alps, which blunt the force of the cold northern winds, while the valley floor benefits from, and in turn releases, warmth from nearby Lake Garda. The Estate remains an ancient world, in which winemaking practices, still uncompromisingly artisanal, yield wines that are true gems of Italy’s wine tradition, marked by freshness, harmony, and an innate elegance.

The family’s first real winemaker, however, was Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga, his training directed not only by what was required to personally manage the family agricultural concern, but above all by a lively curiosity for the world’s great wines, with Bordeaux in first place. This interest led to his decision to study oenology in Lausanne, and to deepen his knowledge with research trips to France and Tuscany. It was precisely here, on the San Guido property, that he began the long, profitable partnership with Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who revealed all the secrets of the Bordeaux blend to Carlo and became his “oenological godfather” to all intents and purposes. Today, Marquis Carlo has spent nearly fifty years dedicating almost all of his time, energy, and attention to the Tenuta San Leonardo. For some years his son Anselmo has been fully involved as well with the winery, like his father passionately committed to the Trentino area, to its cultural and physical landscapes, to its distinctive fragrances.