Winemaker Notes
The wine displays an intense, almost impenetrable, ruby red color. On the nose, the wine introduces itself with intense red fruits and subtle hints of incense and spicy notes that bequeath extraordinary complexity. In the mouth, the bouquet’s complexity comes alive through elegant tannins that gift the wine with unique balance and structure.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Blackcurrants, minerals, mint and hints of chocolate follow through to a medium to full body with linear fruit and tannins that run the length of the wine. The tannins are extremely polished, with beauty and style. Needs three or four years to come together. Best after 2027.
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Wine Spectator
Aromas and flavors of lavender, plum, black cherry, vanilla, earth and resin are the hallmarks of this concentrated yet lively red. Firm, ripe tannins give the finish grip for now, yet this red is complex and long, with all of its components in the right place. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2042.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is an iconic bottle that has seen mild stylistic tweaks but that fundamentally has remained quite consistent over the years. Sticking to its blueprint, the Tenuta Luce 2021 Luce della Vite remains a "super Tuscan-styled" blockbuster that speaks more of the grapes used in the blend than it does its territory. It is made with Sangiovese and Merlot. It shows thick extraction, soft tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. The oak tannins are a little dry, but the wine remains plush and accessible overall.
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Vinous
The 2021 is an incredibly floral rendition of Luce, displaying a seductive bouquet of dried rose petals and incense coming together with sawdust and crushed blueberries. It’s cool-toned and sleek with a radiant core of red and black fruits underscored by saline minerals and a whiplash of brilliant acidity. Edgy tannins come forward through the close as the 2021 remains primary yet juicy. Sour cranberry mingle with licorice and spice on the finish. The fresh persona that Luce has taken on in recent years has propelled this label well beyond past expectations.
The history of tenuta Luce starts in the early Nieneties when Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert mondavi chose Montalcino, a land known for its vocation for viticulture, and decided to join their experiences and start a visionary project: to make a wine that would go beyond the borders of tradition, but without denying it. Right from the start, they were supported by their respective sons, Lamberto and Tim, both young oenologists.
The experience acquired since the Seventies with the vineyards of Merlot planted in these plots, and the knowledge of their expressive uniqueness proved to be essential. Luce, the wine from which it all began, was concieved as the harmonious meeting point between the elegance and the structure of Sangiovese, the local native varietal, and the roundness of Merlot.
Luce’s first harversts, in 1993 and 1994, were presented together in 1997, immediately stimulating curiosity and interest.
The project continued to grow, developing over the years: two acquisitions between 2001 and 2016, new vineyards, new challenges. In 2005, when the join venture with Mondavi ended, Lamberto Frescobaldi took the helm, directing the production.Other wines, over the years, joined Luce: in 1998 Lucente was presented, the second wine of Tenuta Luce. In 2003 Luce Brunello was born. Finally, with the 2015 harvest, Lux Vitis came to life.
At the core of Tenuta Luce's philosophy is the idea that wine should be the most natural expression of the lands where it is produced and the grapes from which it is obtained: the result of a perfect balance between grape variety and territory. Each human intervention takes place in a minimal and non-invasive form, with the main objective of protecting this harmony.
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.