99pt Luce: Tuscany's Opus One "INCREDIBLE"

Thursday, July 25th, 2024

When it comes to Super Tuscan icons, Chianti Classico has Tignanello, Bolgheri has Sassicaia, and Montalcino—the home of Brunello—has Luce. Tenuta Luce is Italy’s version of Opus One, founded by Robert Mondavi and the Frescobaldi family. The 2019 boasts a 99-point score and is a collectible that will thrill lovers of rich Napa Cabernet and top-class Brunello di Montalcino alike.

"Incredible balance of structure and finesse to this."

99 Points, #28 Top 100 of '22 - James Suckling

"...it's fun and serious - just wonderful. So much going on here."

97 Points - Decanter

In 1995, Vittorio Frescobaldi of Italy's venerable Marchesi de' Frescobaldi joined forces with Napa Valley icon Robert Mondavi to produce a Tuscan red called Luce della Vite. The grapes came from vineyards in Montalcino, adjacent to the Frescobaldis' Castelgiocondo estate.

Luce was the first wine from Montalcino made by blending Sangiovese and Merlot grapes, matching the roundness and softness of Merlot with the elegance and structure of Sangiovese. In a Wine Spectator article commemorating the 20th vintage of the wine, Lamberto Frescobaldi had this to say:

"People thought because it was a joint venture with Americans it would be a big, juicy wine," recounted Frescobaldi. "Tim [Mondavi] always said it should be in the style of what Montalcino does best, with its integrity of the soil and ability to age."

"It's a smart blend," said Frescobaldi, about halfway through the tasting. "The two components are very different in how you manage the vineyards and when you harvest, but the wines integrate very well."

The name means light of the vine in Italian, and was inspired by the morning sunlight on the way from Florence to the renowned winemaking region of Montalcino. This wine has consistently wowed collectors of great Super-Tuscans and garnered sky-high scores.

This award-winning vintage marks the wine's 27th, and given its scores, we have been allocated only 30 btls

2019 Luce della Vite "Luce"

Tuscany, Italy

99 Points, #28 Top 100 of '22 - James Suckling:

"Sophisticated aromas of lead pencil, graphite and blackcurrant. Hints of black olives and herbs, too. Full-bodied, yet tight and deep, with super precision and intensity to the tannins. Incredible balance of structure and finesse to this. Give it time in the cellar. Better after 2027."

97 Points - Decanter:

"A dark tone to the nose, black pepper, liquorice and black cherries with hints of rose. So fruit forward and expressive on the palate, a riot of wild strawberries, herbal-touched raspberries and spiced liquorice sticks exude from the glass giving nuance and complexity on the palate. This is clean and crisp with fine but softly creamy tannins, weighty structure and such sweet, succulent fruit. Intense yet delivered with a slight of hand that gives definition and layers, it's fun and serious - just wonderful. So much going on here. Ageing for 24 months in barriques." -GH (3/22)

95 Points - Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux:

"Inky in colour, and a beautifully enjoyable wine right from the first sip. There is still the flash of heat that you find in Lucente, but here it comes across as ripe generous raspberry and loganbery fruits held perfectly in balance by clove, black tea, turmeric, leather and black pepper spices. Concentrated and muscular, this is a delicious vintage of Luce. Nicolo d’Afflitto director, Alessandro Marini winemaker."

94 Points - Wine Spectator:

"Rich and deeply colored, evoking black cherry, blackberry, plum, tar, wild herb and spice flavors. Dense yet retains a sense of freshness, with refined tannins lining the finish. Nicely integrated and long. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 7,916 cases made, 1,000 cases imported."

Blend: 50% Merlot and 50% Sangiovese
Aging Barriques: 80% new, 20% one-year-old
Maturation: 24 months
ABV: 14.5%