Wines from Tuscany | Montalcino

It all began with observation. In 2004, Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted on a three-hectare plot of the Tenuta, on sandy mixed soils. For years, the team watched as these vines grew, matured and developed. And they were surprised by the quality the vines displayed, vintage after vintage. Eleven years passed. Then, in 2015, the decision was made: to make a wine of their own from these grapes. The name was inspired by the essence of the place: Lux Vitis – the light of the vine. "In honour of the light to which all life is indebted."

"The art of waiting" – this is how Tenuta Luce describes the philosophy behind the creation of Lux Vitis. A wine that is in no hurry: three hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon, planted in 2004, left to grow undisturbed for eleven years before the first label bearing its own name was printed. And then, vintage after vintage, the same patience in the cellar: 24 months in exclusively new French barriques before the wine leaves the estate. 2021 put that patience to the test. April brought unexpected frost – the vines, which had budded early, were affected, and production was reduced. This was followed by a recovery, a rainy spring and a hot, long summer. The significant temperature fluctuations between day and night during the harvest weeks acted as a counterbalance: they preserved the wine's precision and aromatics. 7,000 bottles – fewer than the previous year, but of great concentration. Concrete vats, 12 days' fermentation, 20 days' maceration, malolactic fermentation in barriques, 24 months in new oak.

Prètto. A word from the Tuscan dialect – true, sincere, schietto. Carlo Ferrini could not have chosen a more fitting name for a wine that is exactly that: no gesture, no staging, but Sangiovese in its most direct form. The Prètto is a joint effort – born from the dialogue between father and daughter, between three decades of experience and a young generation that sees Montalcino with new eyes. Bianca Ferrini, born in 1990, has given the Giodo project a very special voice with this wine. Four hectares of Sangiovese in Sant'Angelo in Colle, south-west Montalcino, at 360 metres in south-eastern exposure. Medium-heavy, skeleton-rich soil, 6,600 plants per hectare – a density that creates stress and forces concentration. Hand-picked, 20 days of maceration in steel and cement, délestage halfway through fermentation. Then around 30 months of ageing in 500, 700 and 2,500 Literswooden barrels – medium to large containers that give the wine structure without wood characterisation. Then six months in cement, followed by a further 12 months in the bottle. 12,000 bottles were produced.

When an estate like San Filippo produces its Riserva in a vintage like 2019, the result is something for which wine language is barely sufficient. 2019 shone in Montalcino. No critic who tasted it spent long searching for words. For Le Lucére, this meant: an east-facing vineyard that utilises the late morning sun to allow Sangiovese Grosso to ripen slowly, evenly and without stress until October. Harvest between 28 September and 7 October – not a moment too early, not a moment too late. Then: more than a year in barrique and tonneau, almost two and a half years in large oak casks, a further year in the bottle. An ageing process that is not rushed because it cannot afford to be.

Poggio Antico's noble new addition to the portfolio makes its debut in the very first vintage with the typical class of the winery: precise and with great personality, it shows a lively fruit of outstanding quality, reminiscent of black plums, blackberries, pressed blueberries, plums, wild myrtle, milk chocolate, roasted hazelnuts and a light vanilla note. Citrus undertones and an elegant acid wire slim down the extract sweetness in the best possible way. Full-bodied on the palate, very well polished tannins and a solid, powerful finish that shows both muscle and relaxation. The grapes come from the small vineyard of the same name at over 550 metres above sea level. SUPERIORE.DE

Camigliano's Brunello di Montalcino 2019 shows impressive balance and integrity. It contrasts the delicate sweetness of the fruit beautifully with the ethereal and liquorice-like aromas that simply come automatically to Sangiovese when it is grown on the south side of the spectacular Montalcino appellation. Blood orange, redcurrant and wild blueberry on the nose, with a hint of salt and herbaceous notes in the background. On the palate, it impresses with its balanced intensity and lively tannins. The harmonious, very juicy finish surprises with playful notes of warm cherry sweetness, the footprint of Camigliano's wine identity, complemented by a fine mineral vein. This is a highly respectable Camigliano wine from a wonderful vintage, in which the winery is able to fully capitalise on the perfect climate of the vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

With the exception of 2016 and 2019, the last eight years in the region around Montalcino have been characterised by warm and dry conditions. For this reason, Il Poggione has started to prioritise irrigation for emergencies (which is becoming more and more of a necessity in the south-west of Montalcino) and is looking for a better balance in the higher vineyards. This is not the only reason why Il Poggione is one of the top producers every year, with an extremely fair value.

Brunello di Montalcino by Poggio di Sotto is an explosive wine, full and dark. Black cherries, menthol, spices and freshly tanned leather are just some of the diverse aromas. The palate is dense, enveloping and fantastically flowing. Accentuated acidity, perfectly integrating the tannins, finishes on notes of ripe stone fruit, leather and mushrooms. An absolutely fascinating, sublime wine (for the advanced) at the highest level. SUPERIORE.DE

"This vintage has confirmed once again that a great harvest is produced when perfect conditions are created before the harvest, and this was the case in 2017. The result is a wine with great personality, generous on the nose, enveloping and sensual, which surprises on the palate with its freshness and the surprising balance that makes it so pleasant. Fire and ice, sweetness and juiciness, balsamic and fruit, a mix of ingredients that make this vintage very pleasant, but also give it the seriousness of a great Brunello di Montalcino." Francesco Ripaccioli

This is the top wine from Il Poggione, and it is a must for anyone who collects wines from this famous vineyard. The estate's oldest parcel, Vigna Paganelli, is a 12-hectare vineyard that was planted back in 1964. It boasts a rich variety of old Sangiovese clones, which are used for the newer plantings.

Dark ruby colour with a light rim. Dark red fruit, cedar wood and crushed rock with a fine grilled flavour on the nose. A well-balanced wine to which the cooler sites and the light sea breeze give both profile and contour. SUPERIORE.DE

On the nose, dark red cherries, cherry brandy, menthol, pine wood and spices. The silky finish is enveloped by sweet, floral notes. The top 2016 vintage is characterised by its fine texture and impeccable overall balance with equally high density. For us, it is one of the most rounded, precise and rich Brunello of this vintage, with an ageing potential that will meet every expectation. SUPERIORE.DE

Dark cherry red. Complex nose with aromas of wild berries, fine spices and dried meat, combined with cedar wood and earthy notes. In the drink then powerfully after black cherry, blackberry, plum, red rose blossoms and a tender toast note. Wonderful in the long finish with hints of pepper and exotic spices. A great Riserva from a great vintage with cult potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Rose petals, mint, cinnamon, dark sweet cherries and smoke lift from the glass in a translucent, wiry Brunello that builds on energy, power and opulence. Here, length and fruit are in the foreground and, together with a clearly defined tannin structure, Leopoldo Franceschi's team has produced a wine here in a very classic vintage that will really reveal itself over the next few years. As always, it is one of our favourites, and its still outstanding value is also great fun! SUPERIORE.DE

Schiena d'Asino is a small vineyard from which this fabulous Brunello is produced exclusively in excellent years. Schiena captivates with its richness and overall intensity and is endowed with a lot of energy and varietal purity. Sage, rosemary and a host of Mediterranean herbs open up first, followed by graphite, smoke, incense, dark spices and black stone fruits. Wild, intensely mineral notes underpin the fruit and capture the essence of the great site. For an exceptional wine, this Brunello remains remarkably light on its feet, yet it is an introspective, brooding wine that will need at least a few years to show all it has to offer. SUPERIORE.DE

Sweet red berries, flowers, mint, spices and aniseed are uniquely interwoven in this generous wine. The wine gains volume and depth in the glass as the flavours build to an unexpected crescendo. This is an exceptionally well-balanced and finesse-rich Brunello full of character, freshness and originality. The tannins remain firm, but there is enough density and complexity to the fruit that opening a bottle, even at a young age, gives no cause for regret. SUPERIORE.DE

Millecento Riserva from the dream vintage 2016 unfolds in the glass with hints of mocha, sweet cherry and plum, tobacco and a touch of fresh mint. There is a sense of opulence, but also of sophistication, as the texture of ripe red fruits with salty mineral notes glides across the palate, taking on a sweet herbal note towards the end. It finishes with a layer of fine tannins and acidic citrus, while tart wild berries and a hint of exotic spices linger. This wine still has several years of development ahead of it, but its refined blend of richness and elegance can already be experienced today. SUPERIORE.DE

A modernist by the book. Balanced and impressive at the same time. 2018 Rennina with powerful aromas and flavours of violets, black cherries, tobacco and menthol. The tannins are firm yet beautifully integrated. Rennina is a complex, medium-bodied wine, which has a great positive influence on its ageing potential and makes it a success story. SUPERIORE.DE

Angelo Gaja makes his wines with broad brushstrokes that form shapes of perfect harmony and grandeur, he makes them modern but never too fashionable. Rennina 2019 is a dark, lush and juicy red wine with a seamless overall integration. On the palate, bold fruit, oak spice, acidity and a well-knit tannin hold the overall composition together in an overwhelming and warm embrace. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Macioche Riserva 2019 has the same slender and bright appearance as the Annata and the fine aromas of wild berries and cassis associated with Sangiovese. Racy and supple, it sweeps across the palate with a silky texture and shows tart wild berries and sour citrus fruit, all accompanied by lively acidity. The finish is long, with an earthy aftertaste. A very successful Riserva from a wonderful year, which has been interpreted very convincingly in this wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Rennina 2020 is dark and powerful in the glass, opening slowly with notes of crushed stone, cedar, mint and a hint of cumin as its dark red fruits begin to unfold in a captivating display. On the palate, tart cherry and blackberry fruit is accompanied by a silky texture and balanced by a core of rounded tannins and stimulating acidity, with notes of liquorice and sweet herbs behind. The finish is medium-long and balanced, with fine-grained tannins under a sheen of polished red and black fruits and a hint of lavender on the finish. Leave to lie down and be rewarded! SUPERIORE.DE

Those with less patience can open now. Those with foresight should wait. The PS Riserva 2019 is at one of those points where a great Brunello shows what it has in store for the first time – and at the same time makes it clear that not everything has worked out yet. 2019 is considered one of the most substantial vintages in recent Montalcino history: complex, structured, with a concentration resulting from excellent seasonal conditions and perfect tannin maturity. For the one and a half hectares of the oldest parcels in Pelagrilli – whose vines are now over fifty years old – this meant a harvest of rare intensity. Giancarlo's uncompromising selection, optical sorter, double hand-picking, fermentation in steel, 24 months in small French oak barrels: everything serves a single purpose.