When Vittorio Frescobaldi met Robert Mondavi in the early 90s, a new chapter in the history of the great Tuscan wines was written. From that meeting, a wine came to life inspired by the desire to make a dream come true: to create a wine in Montalcino, a land of choice for the production of excellent wines, that went beyond the boundaries of tradition, while acknowledging and celebrating it, by treasuring the experiences of two historic families in the world of wine. This ambitious project took the name of Tenuta Luce, a name that evokes the sunlight of Montalcino, which is the source of life and nourishment, and marks the passage of the seasons and sets the pace for any and every agricultural activity. Since then, Tenuta Luce has always honoured this vision and the symbolic wine of the Tenuta, Luce, has been joined by other exclusive wines, capable of going beyond the boundaries of their territory and earning unanimous approval nationally and internationally.
Tenuta Luce’s vineyards are a true mosaic of different exposures, variety of soils and altitudes – ranging from 280 at 418 meters above sea level. The soils are schistose in the upper range, mixed-clayey in the lower one, rich in yellow sands and sandstones in the central belt. The altitude and southern exposure of the estate’s vineyards support a slow and complete ripening of the grapes producing wines of impressive structure and elegance. Cool, breezy nights help preserve the aromatic profile of Sangiovese and Merlot.
After harvest, the grapes are sorted, crushed and transferred in stainless steel thermo-regulated vats for fermentation. There the winemaking team carries leaves the juice in contact with the skins for around 20 days. The wine is then transferred in barriques for 1 year before bottling.
Winter was severe and brought little moisture, except for a brief snowfall in early February, while spring started dry and mild, with above-average temperatures at times, particularly in March. Temperatures plunged abruptly on 8 April, inflicting freezes throughout Tuscany, but Tenuta Luce’s vineyards fortunately suffered no damage, since the high-elevation Sangiovese vineyards are sited above the cold air, and the Merlot buds were still protected by their cottony sheath. Late May ushered in the first heat, preceding the flowering stage, in the first week of June for Merlot and the following week for Sangiovese. The summer months were hot and dry, until 16 July, which brought a providential rainfall that lowered temperatures and relieved the vines. That also created ideal conditions for veraison, which began in the third week of July. August experienced some rainfall between the third and fourth weeks, which beneficially lowered the heat and encouraged significant day-night temperature differentials, by as much as 15oC., conditions that preserved aromatic crispness and ripeness in the berries. Harvest, which began on 7 September with the first Merlot parcels and then in the second week with Sangiovese, was carried out in magnificent weather, with excellent diurnal temperature ranges and no rain.
Appearing a deep ruby red, Lucente boasts an intense bouquet of red berryfruit, wild blackberry, Parma violets, and other floral notes. Broad and generous on the palate, with tannins beautifully-integrated into the structure, it develops tangy, aromatic fruit on the mid-palate, including dark wild berry, black liquorice, and smooth spices.
75% Merlot
25% Sangiovese
cork
14%
