La Vite Lucente Toscana 2021

Appearing a deep ruby red, Lucente boasts an intense bouquet of red berryfruit, wild blackberry, Parma violets, and other floral notes. Broad and generous on the palate, with tannins beautifully-integrated into the structure, it develops tangy, aromatic fruit on the mid-palate, including dark wild berry, black liquorice, and smooth spices.

Winter was severe and brought little moisture, except for a brief snowfall in early February, while spring started dry and mild, with above-average temperatures at times, particularly in March. Temperatures plunged abruptly on 8 April, inflicting freezes throughout Tuscany, but Tenuta Luce’s vineyards fortunately suffered no damage, since the high-elevation Sangiovese vineyards are situated above the cold air, and the Merlot buds were still protected by their cottony sheath. Late May ushered in the first heat, preceding the flowering stage, in the first week of June for Merlot and the following week for Sangiovese. The summer months were hot and dry, until 16 July, which brought a providential rainfall that lowered temperatures and relieved the vines. That also created ideal conditions for veraison, which began in the third week of July. August experienced some rainfall between the third and fourth weeks, which beneficially lowered the heat and encouraged significant day-night temperature differentials, by as much as 15oC., conditions that preserved aromatic crispness and ripeness in the berries. Harvest, which began on 7 September with the first Merlot parcels and then in the second week with Sangiovese, was carried out in magnificent weather, with excellent diurnal temperature ranges and no rain.