Winemaker Notes
Lucente, the second wine of Luce, offers a more approachable and contemporary style while still reflecting the unique Montalcino terroir of the Luce estate. Made from a selection of Merlot and Sangiovese, it’s sourced from younger vineyards after the best grapes are reserved for Luce. With its deep ruby color, Lucente has an intense bouquet of red berry fruits, wild blackberry, and floral notes. On the palate, it is broad and generous, with beautifully integrated tannins and a development of tangy fruit, black licorice, and smooth spices.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A juicy and delicious wine with aromas of black cherries, walnuts, flint, graphite and matchsticks. Medium-bodied with creamy and refined tannins and a pretty finish. Inky aftertaste with some iodine. 60% merlot and 40% sangivoese. Drink or hold.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the youngest vines and based largely on Merlot with roughly a third Sangiovese, the 2023 Lucente pours a youthful dark red hue and offers notes of graphite, violets, and fresh sweet herbs on the nose. The palate is medium to full-bodied and immediate, with ripe tannins, good freshness, and a supple texture that carries through the finish. Aged one year in 20% new French oak barrels, it’s an appealing, approachable wine to enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2026-2036.
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Decanter
Between Peronospora attacks in spring, the heatwave and drought in summer, not to mention hail, production was down 20% at Tenuta Luce in 2023. Nevertheless, there is still ample supply of this crowd-pleasing Merlot-led blend. Crafted from the estate’s younger vines, Lucente exalts a pure fruit expression. It bursts with blackcurrant and dark red cherry, while scents of mint, cedar and grilled tobacco lend intrigue. Smooth and suave, the palate pops with sweet, sun-warmed berries infused with chopped garden herbs and a whisper of vanilla, ending with a zesty peppery note. As engaging as it is affable.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Tenuta Luce 2023 Lucente, a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese, offers a cheerful and immediately accessible expression with soft plum, blackcurrant and gentle sweet spice woven throughout. Medium- to full-bodied in weight, the wine shows supple tannins and a velvety mouthfeel, shaped by a warm vintage yet supported by enough freshness to keep it lively and food-friendly. Designed as the estate’s most approachable bottling, Lucente finishes on a short but refreshing note.
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Vinous
The 2023 Lucente wafts up with a seductive bouquet of crushed blueberries, cherries, complementary minty herbs and autumnal spice. This presents soft textures, vibrant acidity, sleek red berry fruits and a subtle citrus tinge toward the close. It’s gently tannic and long with lavender and licorice on the finish.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.