The Marchesi Frescobaldi, owners of Tenuta Luce in Castelgiocondo, pampered several Italian and foreign journalists with their Team Luce, led by Andrea Orsini.
A bus welcomed us to go to Tenuta Luce in Montalcino and once we arrived we were offered breakfast.
Team Luce provided us with shoes, gloves and shears and took us to the vineyard where pairs were formed to prune the rows. I teamed up with my friend Stefano Tesi and we all worked, under the scorching sun, for more than an hour. Once our hard work was finished they took us to the cellar where we refreshed ourselves by offering us some fresh water because we were thirsty and once we were back in our shoes, in name and in fact, we went to visit the cellar. We did some tastings from the barrels of Brunello di Montalcino 2020 and Luce Lux Vitis 2020 which is an IGT that makes two years of new wood.
After this pleasant tasting we were accompanied to their restaurant with open kitchen where there were tables that welcomed us for lunch.
Lunch was very pleasant, and the kitchen staff prepared delicious dishes which were accompanied by the company’s wines.
The starter was the “millefoglie, of vegetables with herbs, saffron sauce, lemon ricotta” accompanied by the 2021 vintage Lucente wine. The first course was the “creamy pecorino risotto, Luce reduction, toasted almonds, shreds of beef”, served with Luce, 2020 vintage.
The second course was: “beef in a crust of aromatic herbs, vegetable flan, onion in foil”, paired with Luce, 2007 vintage. To finish we were served a selection of local cheeses, washed down with a pleasant Luce Brunello, 2018 vintage. To finish, coffee and Luce grappa.
Lunch was pleasant as were my companions.
At the end of lunch we were accompanied to the bus for our return to Florence.
Beautiful experience, thanks to the perfect organization of the Luce Team.
The notes of the wines tasted follow.
Regarding the width of the tannin, it is important to make the following clarifications so that it can be understood. I feel the tannin of the wine on the upper gum. The total width of the tannin is 6/6, i.e. the entire width of the upper gum. Obviously, if the tannin is less broad, it could be for example 5/6 and so on. The width of the tannin is important when the quality of the tannin is of good or high level. The larger the tannin, the more the wine is worthy of attention, but the tannin, as I have specified, must, in any case, be of good quality.
TENUTA LUCE TOSCANA LUCE
Luce Brunello di Montalcino, 2020 vintage
(from the barrel)
Purple red colour.
Aromas of cherry, mint, eucalyptus, woody, plum, rust ending with intense and pleasant notes of violet.
When tasted, the body is medium and the wine has a slightly sour cherry flavour. At this moment the balance is slightly fluctuating between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6), initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little. Its intense aromatic persistence is long with a slightly unripe cherry finish.
It is a wine that must be completed once it has remained in the bottle for a few months.
Evaluation in the scissors. (92-94/100)
TENUTA LUCE TOSCANA
Luce Lux Vitis, vintage 2020
(grape variety: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Sangiovese)
bottles produced n. 9600
Purple red dress
Olfactory mix made of scents of Tuscan cigar, blackberry, woody, episperm (boiled chestnut skin), mint, eucalyptus, blueberry, plum, Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk), fresh leather, the blond one, ending with whiffs of peeled tomato.
Upon entry into the mouth you can feel a medium body and woody flavor (the wine has two years of new wood). Good taste balance between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6), initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little (wood tannins).
Its taste persistence is long. Definitely a pleasant wine for those who love to smell wood in wine, you can feel it both on the nose and on the taste.
(91-93/100)
TENUTA LUCE TOSCANA
Lucente, 2021 vintage
(grape variety: 75% Merlot and 25% Sangiovese)
The wine is aged for 12 months in used barriques.
Fairly intense purple-red coat.
Rich nose composed of aromas of worked leather, chamois leather, cherry, mint, eucalyptus, liquorice grains, violet, fir, hints of black pepper and nutmeg. The olfactory journey continues with notes of Nutella chocolate and Tuscan cigar.
Fine and elegant wine with medium body and a good balance between alcohol and freshness even if at this moment you feel a slight burn in your throat.
The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6+) and silky. Its taste persistence is long with a slightly woody finish. (92/100)
TENUTA LUCE TOSCANA
Light, 2020 vintage
(grape variety: 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot)
Purple red.
From the glass rise aromas of mint, eucalyptus, woody, plum, cherry, worked leather, finishing with caresses of lavender.
The taste test reveals a medium body and a very slight swing between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6), thick, initially velvety and then slightly drying the upper gum. Its taste persistence is long with a finish in which a slight bitterness of the wood is perceived.
The wine must be well balanced and must lose some wood. Looking to the future, this is my assessment. (92/100)
TENUTA LUCE TOSCANA
Luce, 2007 vintage
(grape variety: 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot)
Intense ruby red color.
Olfactory expression composed of aromas of dried plum, hay, chlorophyll, woody sweets ending with memories of dried porcini mushroom. On the palate, a pleasant dried plum is appreciated. The body is medium and the wine is well balanced. Freshness and tannins dominate the alcoholic mass.
The tannins are sweet, thick, velvety, quite broad (5/6+) even if they narrow in the finish.
Its flavor persistence is long with a dried plum finish. (93/100)
TENUTA LUCE TOSCANA
Luce Brunello, 2018 vintage
Transparent ruby red.
The olfactory encounter reveals aromas of cherry, black pepper, intense nutmeg, mint, eucalyptus and ending with an intense note of violet.
On the palate we appreciate a medium body and a nice taste balance in which the alcoholic mass is completely dominated by freshness and tannins. The latter are large sweets (6/6–) initially velvety and then dry and cause the upper gum to burn slightly.
Its intense aromatic persistence is long.
Pleasant to drink with a non-invasive wood. (93++/100)
