#FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions | Tenuta Luce Lucente Toscana

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Lucente is the result of a careful selection of the estate’s vineyards that are particularly suited for the production of a fruity and very pleasant wine. Like Luce, it is made from Sangiovese and Merlot, which prevails in the blend.

This is the gift for all lovers of Italian wine. Ideal for all those special moments the holidays bring.

Luce Della Vite – Lucente Toscana

The 2022 vintage began with a mostly sunny, dry winter with cold temperatures. These conditions induced a slightly late sprouting in late March for sangiovese and early April for merlot. Thereafter, spring was affected by rising temperatures and the absence of rainfall; these conditions favored rapid vegetative development of the plants, leading to cancellation of the early-season delay. Flowering occurred in the last week of May and the beginning of June under ideal conditions. The hot and dry weather continued for most of the summer period, fortunately interrupted by some rains between late July and mid-August, totaling 100 mm, which gave relief to the plants causing them to resume their normal vegetative development and allowed for rapid veraison in the first week of August. The harvest was brought forward a few days to August 28 with the first Merlot grapes and ended with the Sangiovese grapes in the last week of September. Throughout the harvest period the days were sunny with nice temperature ranges.

TASTING NOTES

Lucente shows a ruby red color. On the nose, it expresses the sunny character of the vintage with notes of pomegranate, blackberries, and violets that combine with elegant spices. On the palate, the entry is enveloping, balanced by a lovely freshness with perfectly ripe tannins that leave a savory and vibrant finish.

GRAPE VARIETIES

Merlot, Sangiovese

Intense purplish red wine with ripe red fruit, raspberries, and sour cherries on the nose, complemented by hints of vanilla and balsamic. The palate offers a soft, balanced experience with pleasant crispness, smooth tannins, and a sweet aftertaste, leading to a persistent finish.

Examples of great pairings: Grilled Steak, Roast Beef, Rack of Lamb, Lamb Shank, Osso Bucco, Sharp Cheddar. Notes courtesy of BC Liquor Stores website.

$44.99 at select BC Liquor Stores, on sale $40.99 until December 28. Save the GST from December 14, 2024 to February 15, 2025

This is round and creamy, offering ripe blackberries, blueberries and hints of chocolate and cedar. Medium- to full-bodied with succulent fruit and fine tannins. Compact and focused, with good length and balance overall. Drink or hold [into the mid-2030s]. Score – 93. (jamessuckling.com, Sept. 6, 2024 courtesy of the LCBO website)

$28.70 at the LCBO Price shown reflects HST savings.

This wine orginates from the visionary first Merlot plantings in the 100% Sangiovese landscaper on Montalcino. Merlot and Sangiovese, are hand-selected at optimum ripeness and gently pressed to retain the delicacy in the wine. Separate fermentation at controlled temperature follows. The blend is then aged for 12 months in partially new hand split oak barriques to enhance the complexity. Delicious undertones of sage and thyme highlight ripe yet refined notes of strawberries, red cherries and darker blackcurrants. Full body, a dense, generous texture and a polished finish. Notes courtesy of Craft Cellars.

$40.99 at Craft Cellars (Calgary)

$44.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits (Alberta)

From the grape to the bottle, man accompanies wine

RESPECT FOR NATURE

In Tenuta Luce, man observes Nature with infinite respect; he interprets it giving life to wines that cherish this land, exalting it with distinction.
Each of our wines represents a different expression of our territory.

Harvest after harvest we put our knowledge and experience to good use, respecting the times of Nature and interpreting its signals.
A daily commitment that sees us intent on safeguarding the balance of elements to fully appreciate a territory of unparalleled value.

The entryway to the world of Tenuta Luce.

Every day the rises in the East breathing life unto Luce’s vineyards that cover the slopes to the southwest of the village of Montalcino, a sparsely populated area, surrounded by wild nature and rich in biodiversity.

The Land is matter; it is the origin of everything. The land of Montalcino is our home. A magical place where wine is life, tradition and culture. The village, perched on an enchanting hill, retains its medieval charm. The surrounding area, so classically Tuscan, is part of the Natural and Cultural Artistic Park of Val d’Orcia.

The Land, here in Montalcino, takes the shape of gentle slopes covered with vineyards, olive groves and woods. A territory with a microclimate of unparalleled value for the cultivation of grapevines.

Wine notes (in italics) (and except as noted above) courtesy of the winery. Images courtesy of the winery website.