Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The beauty and polish to this are very impressive on the nose and the palate. Blackberry, blueberry and sandalwood character. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and an elegant finish. So crafted and fine. Drink in 2020. #38 Top 100 Italian Wines of 2016
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Wine Enthusiast
Made with Sangiovese and Merlot, this vibrant red offers aromas of mature black-skinned berry, exotic spice, purple flower, coconut and a balsamic note. The full-bodied palate has weight and finesse, delivering dried black cherry, raspberry, espresso and star anise alongside a backbone of bright acidity and firm, velvety tannins. Hold a few more years to let this fully come together. Drink 2019–2028. Cellar Selection
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Wine Spectator
A sheen of resinous oak casts an accent over the black cherry and plum fruit in this powerful, chewy red. All the components are in the right place. Needs a little more time. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2018 through 2024.
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.