More than 30 guests gathered at Bar Norcino inside Curious Café for an intimate Italian wine lunch hosted by Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits. The featured guest was Alessandro Lunardi, Director for North America for Ornellaia, Masseto, Tenuta Luce, and Attems, who travelled from Florence to guide guests through six wines from two renowned Frescobaldi estates.
Born and raised in Florence, Lunardi brings decades of experience introducing Italian wines to North American audiences. A trained architect before entering the wine industry, he combines technical knowledge with an engaging, approachable presentation style, making the tasting as educational as it was enjoyable.
Chef Luigi paired the wines with a two-course lunch. The opening dish, Tuna e Melone, reimagined the classic Italian pairing of prosciutto and melon by substituting fresh tuna. Finished with an Italian white balsamic ponzu, the dish’s bright acidity and delicate flavours complemented the three white wines. The main course, a generous serving of La Bussola Lasagna Lauretta Style, matched the richer structure of the three Tuscan reds.
The tasting began with wines from Attems, one of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s historic producers. The Attems family has cultivated vineyards in the Collio region since at least 1106, making it one of Italy’s oldest documented wine estates. Since joining the Frescobaldi family in 2000, the winery has continued its focus on expressing the region’s unique terroir through minimal intervention, natural fermentations where appropriate, and careful vineyard management.
Located in Italy’s northeast, Friuli Venezia Giulia benefits from cooling Alpine air and breezes from the Adriatic Sea, creating ideal conditions for fresh, aromatic white wines.
The 2024 Pinot Grigio Ramato Venezia Giulia IGT ($25.99) highlighted the traditional “ramato” style, in which brief skin contact gives the wine its distinctive copper hue. Rather than the pale Pinot Grigio many consumers expect, this version offered attractive fruit, lively acidity, good texture and mineral character. The wine’s balance suggests it could continue to develop over the next three to five years.
Next came the 2025 Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT ($29.99), produced from one of Friuli’s signature grape varieties. Typically harvested late in the season, Ribolla (late) Gialla (yellow) produces crisp, refreshing wines with delicate floral aromas and vibrant acidity. Fermented primarily in stainless steel, this example showcased the variety’s freshness and versatility, making it well suited as an aperitif or alongside lighter dishes.
The standout white was the 2024 Cicinis Sauvignon Blanc Collio DOC ($49.99). Produced from vines between 45 and 80 years old, the wine is fermented in concrete egg-shaped vessels, which encourage natural circulation of the lees and contribute texture and complexity without excessive oak influence. The result was an elegant Sauvignon Blanc with layered aromatics, bright acidity and impressive depth.
The tasting then shifted south to Tuscany and Tenuta Luce in Montalcino. The estate was founded in the 1990s as a partnership between Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi, combining Tuscany’s signature Sangiovese with Bordeaux varieties, particularly Merlot. Frescobaldi became the sole owner in 2004, continuing to develop Luce as one of Italy’s leading modern wine estates.
The 2022 Lucente Toscana IGT ($49.99), a blend of 75 per cent Merlot and 25 per cent Sangiovese, serves as the estate’s introduction to the Luce style. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, it offered ripe blackberry and pomegranate fruit, floral notes, gentle spice and polished tannins.
The flagship Luce 2022 ($159.99) blended equal parts Merlot and Sangiovese. Fermented in concrete and aged for 18 months in French oak, it displayed concentrated red fruit, floral complexity and firm but refined tannins that promise further development with cellaring.
The final wine, Luce Lux Vitis 2022 ($225.99), was also the rarest. Produced primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon with a small percentage of Sangiovese, only 250 cases were made, with just 30 allocated to Canada and only six to British Columbia. Aged for 24 months in new French oak, it is a powerful, structured wine with flavours of ripe black fruit, sweet spice, licorice and herbs. Despite its youthful intensity, it paired remarkably well with the lasagna, and its balance suggests excellent long-term ageing potential.
Throughout the afternoon, Lunardi’s commentary provided valuable insight into the philosophy behind both estates, from the cool-climate vineyards of Friuli to the sun-drenched hills of Montalcino. His enthusiasm and deep knowledge helped connect each wine to its place of origin, making the tasting more than simply a series of pours.
Judging by the lively conversation around the room and the enthusiastic response from attendees, the event was a memorable celebration of Italian wine, thoughtful food pairings and the enduring appeal of sharing both around the table.
(Photos, except as noted – Sam Hauck) Feature image: courtesy of Facebook