Lucente 2023

Tenuta Luce sits in the south-west of Montalcino, in the Val d'Orcia natural park of southern Tuscany, on the estate Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi established in 1990 to blend Sangiovese with Merlot. Lucente, classified as IGP Toscana, draws on this pairing: Sangiovese for acidity, red fruit and structure, Merlot for flesh and rounder tannins. The vineyards lie on the varied soils of the zone, where galestro and clay give good drainage and force the vines to root deeply, while the warm days and cool nights of the high Tuscan hills extend ripening and hold acidity in the fruit. Twelve months in barrel softens the tannins through slow oxygen exchange and adds clove, vanilla and a fine cocoa note to the wine. The result is deep and supple, with a nose of black cherry and blackberry, a palate carrying ripe red and dark fruit, sweet spice and oak, and tannins that are firm but polished. The finish is long and savoury. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. It works with grilled and roast beef, lamb and mushroom dishes.