Tenuta Luce 2020 Brunello di Montalcino 750ml

Tenuta Luce, formerly known as Luce della Vite, is one of the Frescobaldi family's estates in Montalcino, on the gentle southwest-facing hills below the medieval town. The estate is best known for its Super Tuscan "Luce," a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot. Its Brunello is the other side of the portfolio: a pure Sangiovese Grosso, made in very small quantities as the estate's tribute to Montalcino's winemaking tradition. As one description puts it, Luce Brunello is "perhaps not as well known as its Super Tuscan IGT brother" but is "perfumed and lifted compared to the Luce," with tobacco and spice alongside "sappy cherry."

The 2020 vintage produced wines of "vibrant acidity, refined tannins, and a harmonious balance between ripe fruit and structure," with both immediate appeal and real aging potential. The wine ages at least 24 months in Slavonian oak ovals and is bottled at 15% ABV, with total acidity of 6.67 g/L and a pH of 3.32.

James Suckling scored it 97 Points: "Beautifully perfumed aromas of violets, cedar and fresh raspberries with some strawberries, too. Full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins that add tension and focus, as well as a crunchy undertone. Needs three or four years to soften. Best after 2028." Wine Spectator scored it 93, finding it "fruity and expressive, featuring flavors of macerated cherry, plum, sweet spices, menthol and earth," with "dense, aggressive tannins" and fruit that "returns on the succulent finish," best from 2027 through 2043. Vinous (November 2024) wrote that the 2020 "seduces with sweet smoke and autumnal spice, crushed red plums and hints of lavender," finishing "with admirable length, lightly structured and with a hint of licorice."

The estate's own notes describe "a shimmering ruby red" with "a bouquet that is multifaceted and complex, with red berry fruit melding into sweet violets and smooth spices," and a "full-bodied, vibrant palate, with a beautifully crisp acidity and ripe, glossy tannins." This is a polished, young Brunello with plenty of structure, built for cellaring.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Tenuta Luce 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is produced by Tenuta Luce (formerly Luce della Vite), a Frescobaldi family estate on the southwest slopes of Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy. It is 100% Sangiovese Grosso and is aged at least 24 months in Slavonian oak ovals. Bottled at 15% ABV, 750ml, with total acidity of 6.67 g/L and a pH of 3.32.

Critics Reviews

James Suckling — 97 Points:
"Beautifully perfumed aromas of violets, cedar and fresh raspberries with some strawberries, too. Full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins that add tension and focus, as well as a crunchy undertone. Needs three or four years to soften. Best after 2028."

Wine Spectator — 93 Points:
"Fruity and expressive, featuring flavors of macerated cherry, plum, sweet spices, menthol and earth. Dense, aggressive tannins take over, yet the fruit lurks underneath and returns on the succulent finish. Best from 2027 through 2043."

Vinous (November 2024):
"The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino seduces with sweet smoke and autumnal spice, crushed red plums and hints of lavender... The 2020 finishes with admirable length, lightly structured and with a hint of licorice."

Tenuta Luce (official tasting notes):
"The appearance is a shimmering ruby red. The bouquet is multifaceted and complex, with red berry fruit melding into sweet violets and smooth spices. It boasts a full bodied, vibrant palate, with a beautifully crisp acidity and ripe, glossy tannins that complement delicious impressions of citrus and spices."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Shimmering ruby red. Violets, cedar, and fresh raspberry lead, with red berry fruit, blond tobacco, exotic spice, and sweet smoke.

Palate
Full-bodied and vibrant, with macerated cherry, plum, and crushed red plum carrying the entry, bright acidity, citrus and spice, and firm, chewy tannin.

Finish
Long, with licorice, sweet spice, and a hint of menthol, built to soften over the next several years.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Beef and venison
• Roasted lamb
• Aged, hard cheeses
• Truffle dishes and rich pasta

Serving Note

Serve at 16-18°C. Decant to soften the youthful tannins.