Luce della Vite
Montalcino is the birthplace of Brunello, while Luce della Vite has gained a reputation as something entirely different. It is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot in a 50-50 ratio, simply bottled under the name Toscana. This winery began in the 1990s as a joint project between the Frescobaldi family of Florence and the Robert Mondavi family of Napa Valley, utilizing land on the southwestern slopes of Montalcino. Currently, the Frescobaldi family operates it independently, with Lamberto Frescobaldi determining the vintage blend each year. Although Brunello di Montalcino joined later and the winery now produces wines that reflect regional characteristics, its flagship product remains that blended wine. In Montalcino, Merlot still draws puzzled looks from some quarters. The fact that they have been cultivating grapevines here since the 1970s is precisely the point.
History
Vittorio Frescobaldi discovered the property back in the 1960s, long before the wine was even conceived. The catalyst for this site to develop into a full-fledged project was a meeting with Robert Mondavi; while this is generally believed to have taken place in the mid-1990s, the winery dates it to the early 1990s. In any case, the first Luce, a 1993 vintage, was released to the market.
Expectations were mixed from the start. Because Americans were involved, people anticipated a rich and full-bodied wine. On the other hand, Tim Mondavi argued that the wine should reflect Montalcino's winemaking philosophy, that is, it should highlight the characteristics of the soil and possess aging potential. Lamberto Frescobaldi initially opposed this but later stated that he had changed his mind.
Frescobaldi assumed full responsibility for the vineyard in 2004, and since 2005, Lamberto Frescobaldi has overseen every step of the process, from vineyard work to the final blending. Since the Frescobaldi family has been in the wine business for about 700 years, Montalcino is more of a figure who appeared in the latter part of the family's history than someone who started the first chapter.
In 2016, following an additional acquisition, Tenuta Luce built a new winery, most of which is located underground. This site is home to Collezione Luce, a historic cellar where all vintages are stored.
Southwest Montalcino, high and low
Luce della Vite is situated on a hill in the southwestern part of Montalcino, right next to Castelgiocondo, which is part of the Frescobaldi estate that was already there. Vineyards, olive groves, and forests blend together; a village sits on the hill above, and the Val d'Orcia Park stretches out around it.
Altitude is the primary factor determining the division of the vineyards. The vines are planted at altitudes ranging from approximately 350 to 420 meters; the higher plots are classified as Sangiovese, while the lower, warmer ones are classified as Merlot. The vineyards have a southern exposure, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly but perfectly.
Part of the vineyard is classified as Brunello di Montalcino, while the rest belongs to Toscana IGT. Thanks to these classifications, this estate can bottle both pure Sangiovese Brunello wine and a Merlot blend from the same property.
Planting history is significant here. The Sangiovese vines were planted between 1975 and 1983, while the Merlot vines were planted in 1976, alongside the Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc vines, during the tenure of the previous French owner. The new, more densely planted Sangiovese vines were first planted in 1997 and were first included in the Luce blend starting with the 2003 vintage; additional vineyards were added beginning in 2004.
Galestro up top, clay below
Two types of soil, two grape varieties. The high-altitude soil in Tenuta Luce consists of a mixture of schist and limestone, which Tuscans call galestro, and it is here that Sangiovese excels, adding structure and liveliness to the wine. The soil in the lower elevations is richer in clay, making it ideal for the Merlot variety, which requires moisture retention during the sweltering summers of Montalcino.
The climate takes care of the rest. While the days are warm and sunny, the nights on these slopes are cool with a gentle breeze, which fully preserves the aromatic compounds and prevents the flavors from becoming muddled as the grapes simply ripen.
As a result, provided the vintage is good, at least, the wine exhibits concentrated flavors without any muddiness. This explains why the two grape varieties are not harvested simultaneously but rather with a few weeks' interval between them.
Merlot meets Sangiovese
Luce della Vite uses two red grape varieties, and the ratio varies depending on the wine:
- Sangiovese, grown in the Galestro vineyards, accounts for the entire Brunello di Montalcino production.
- Merlot, grown in low-lying clay soils, accounts for a larger portion of the total cultivation area.
- Luce is a blend of these two varieties in an exact 50-50 ratio.
- Lucente is primarily based on Merlot, which typically accounts for about 65-70%, with the remainder consisting of Sangiovese.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc were also planted on this site in the 1970s, before the current project began.
Winemaking
The harvest of Tenuta Luce takes place in two stages. Merlot is harvested around mid-September, and Sangiovese is harvested 3 to 4 weeks later; these two varieties are fermented separately.
Blending takes place only after that. Luce is then aged in 100% new French oak barrels, a significant amount of new oak by any standard, which is one of the reasons this wine presents a rich and smooth profile rather than a restrained one.
Since 2017, the winery has had a dedicated winemaking team led by Stefano Ruini, who joined after gaining over 20 years of experience at several estates in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. The Bordeaux-style winemaking approach to the Tuscan blend is not the strangest combination one could imagine.
The underground cellars built during this period were designed to handle every stage of winemaking in one place, and the vintage storage area, Collezione Luce, is laid out according to the golden ratio. At this winery, form is just as important as function.
The wines
Luce is the flagship wine of this winery; it is a blend of equal parts Sangiovese and Merlot, with Toscana IGT substituted for Brunello, resulting in a full-bodied wine with a bold, rich flavor.
Lucente is the winery's second wine, produced from the same vineyard; it is made primarily from grapes harvested from younger vines in cooler, lower-altitude areas. With Merlot as its main variety, it has less oak influence and reaches its drinking window sooner. Of the two, this is by far the better choice for everyday enjoyment.
Luce Brunello di Montalcino can be considered the winery's answer to the local classic. Made from pure Sangiovese, it is vinified in accordance with the DOCG regulations that the flagship wine intentionally avoids.
In addition to those three, the winery also bottles Lux Vitis and Grappa di Luce, so its product lineup is much broader than the three red wines most people are familiar with.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luce a Super Tuscan?
Yes, in the usual sense of the term. It is a blend that falls outside the local DOCG rules and is bottled as Toscana IGT, made in Montalcino rather than on the coast.
What is the sun on the label?
Sol Solis, the many-rayed sun carved on the main altar of the church of Santo Spirito in Florence, a fifteenth-century commission to Brunelleschi. The church stands on land the Frescobaldi family donated.
Can you visit the estate?
Tenuta Luce offers personalised visits and tastings by appointment, with the option of staying for lunch. Requests go through the estate's booking form, at least two days in advance.
What is Collezione Luce?
The historic cellar at the estate, where every vintage since the beginning is kept and shown, arranged like a library.
