By Dwight Casimere
From the heart of Tuscany comes a truly extraordinary wine, Tenuta Luce, Luce Toscana 2019($130). Created at the Luce wine estate, which is located southwest of the town of Montalcino, in the heart of the Val d’Orcia Natural Park, a rural landscape declared by UNESCO in 2004 a World Heritage Site. Set among woods and olive trees, this pristine environment is rich in biodiversity. Harmony is the key to assembling all of the components to create a world-class wine. Each step of the process used in making Luce Toscana is performed with meticulous care. The result is a wine that represents the fullest expression of the Montalcino territory while maintaining an utterly distinctive style and individuality.
The vineyards of Luca della Vite are located near the medieval town at an amazing altitude. The wine combines the structure and elegance of Sangiovese with the roundness of Merlot.
Launched in 1995, the Luce della Vite estate was the created from the dreams and determination of two titans of 20th century winemaking, Vittorio Frescobaldi of Italy and Robert Mondavi of California. Lamberto Frescibaldi has the responsibility of shaping the future of this ambitious wine project.
Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of Tenuta Luce and the Frescobaldi Group sums up his mission. “The land is our raw material, that gives shape to everything. It embodies the ldea that wine should be the most natural expression of the territory that raises it, as its own child.”
Its inky dark color is a prelude to what’s inside the bottle. Saturated with black cherry, plum and dark red fruit flavors, this wine is cloaked in refined tannins and bright acidity. This is the perfect wine for a serious dinner. A Prime Aged Steak, marinated overnight in black pepper, paprika and cumin and either seared in a cast iron skillet or passed over hot coals, is the perfect dinner partner. Another ideal pairing is Roast Duck.
Strong cheeses, such as an aged Gorgonzola with figs accompanied by slices of well-aged salami or thinly sliced Prosciutto are a great way to get things started. Open at least a half hour before serving to allow this wine to breathe and gain complexity. The longer it spends in the glass, the more its complexity is revealed.
An exquisite blend of Sangiovese and Merlot grapes, the wine is aged in new oak, which gives it spicy notes of cardamom, dark chocolate and hints of licorice and dark espresso. A natural dark glow gives a hint of its natural intensity. It has a radiance that is unique to Montalcino.
For more, visit lucedellavite.com.
