Treasures from the vineyards of Tuscany

Tuscany is a relatively large region of central Italy, with rolling hills, varied soils and a climate which is ideal for growing wine grapes.

Some of the best known Italian red wines are made in Tuscany, such as Chianti in the hills not far from Florence and Brunello di Montalcino further south near the towns of Sienna and Montalcino.

Both these wines are made from the indigenous Sangiovese grape, king of the Italian red grape varieties.

However, within the Tuscan region there are a number of wines from top winemakers which do not adhere to the winemaking rules of the region and thus do not have Denominazione d’Origine Controllata (DOC) status.

These wines use other grape varieties – often French - blended with Sangiovese, designed by the winemaker to make the best possible quality, regardless of the DOC categorisation.

Labelled as IgT (Indicazione geographica Tipica), the lowly category belies the exceptional quality of the wines.

Often known as Super Tuscans, these wines are of exceptional quality with long ageing potential, made by some of the best winemakers of Italy and truly world class.

One of the top producers of Super Tuscans is Tenuta Luce, part of the renowned Frescobaldi portfolio.

The top wine from this estate normally sells for well over £150 per bottle, highly rated by the world’s top wine critics, such as James Suckling.

Lucente is the estate’s second wine, made just as carefully, but from younger vines and thus more approachable in terms of both style and pocket!

The estate is located just south-west of the medieval town of Montalcino and was originally started by an association of California’s Robert Mondavi and Marchesi Frescobaldi.

A fabulous blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, the wine is aged in oak barrels for 12 months prior to bottling.

With great respect for the environment, the grapes are carefully selected in the vineyards for the very best quality and expression of the terroir.

The result is an appealing, modern wine, perfectly in tune with contemporary demand.

Juicy, mouth-filling fruit flavours of blackberries and dark fruits, combine with soft yet firm tannins, hints of black pepper and almonds and an incredibly long finish.

It is one of what I call ‘sipping wines’.

A wine to sit and contemplate, to appreciate the complexity of flavours and aromas.

Several vintages are available on-line in the UK from 1996 to 2020, ranging in price with an average around £35 a bottle.

Due to the wonderful concentration and deep, tannic structure, my advice is to wait until the wine is at least five years old before sampling.

Lucente Super Tuscan 2017 is available from Ocado at £34 a bottle. A bold wine, with delicious, chewy fruit and tannins, vanilla oak and satisfying, long finish. Pair with dishes with big flavours if drinking now or lay down for five years or more.