September 2026 – a Castel story by Ivana Capraro
Luce 2022 – Tenuta Luce, Montalcino, Tuscany
Every month, we showcase a wine from our cellar, recommended by our sommelière, Ivana Capraro, for that particular month.
September 2026
Thirty years of Luce, seven centuries of history.
This is my 30th wine recommendation for the Castel Stories – almost as if fate were at play: the wine I have chosen for this occasion also marks a 30th anniversary. Luce 2022 is the 30th vintage of the iconic wine from Tenuta Luce in Montalcino.
The wine
Luce 2022
“A vintage that celebrates 30 years of ambition and vision.”
And so Luce was born from the blend of Sangiovese and Merlot: one grape variety is deeply rooted in the history of Montalcino, whilst the other brings suppleness, depth and an extra dimension of expression.
The name, too, is no coincidence. Luce – ‘light’ – evokes the Montalcino sun, that light which dictates the rhythm of the seasons, accompanies human labour and enables the vine to slowly transform the terroir into fruit.
A radiant sun shines on the label: Il Sol Solis, a depiction of the sun with twelve rays, inspired by the sun symbol on the high altar of the Basilica di Santo Spirito in Florence – a church designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 15th century and built, amongst other places, on land belonging to the Frescobaldi family.
The 2022 vintage is not merely symbolic: climatically, it was challenging – a cold and dry winter, a spring with little rainfall, and temperatures rising rapidly from May onwards. The summer continued to be warm and dry. However, two significant rainfall events on 28 July and 15 August, each bringing around 30 mm, provided the vines with welcome relief at a crucial stage of ripening. The Merlot grapes were harvested from 28 August onwards, whilst the Sangiovese was left until 10 September.
Vinification takes place in concrete tanks. Fermentation takes place at 28 °C over 12 days, followed by a 22-day maceration period on the skins. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barriques; after which the wine matures there for a further 24 months – 80 per cent in new barriques and 20 per cent in one-year-old barriques. The Sangiovese contributes acidity, verticality, energy and that typical Tuscan character, whilst the Merlot complements it with volume, depth and smoothness.
In the world of wine, we are constantly talking about time: the timing of the harvest, the duration of fermentation, the ageing period, the time spent in the bottle and, finally, the patience required before opening it. Yet some bottles tell the story of an even longer span of time. Behind this bottle lie seven centuries of the Frescobaldi family, thirty generations, the meeting between Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi, the first vintage of 1993 and thirty harvests during which an idea has been continually refined. And now we have reached my 30th article.
“After thirty encounters, I still believe that the greatest privilege of being a sommelier is not simply knowing great wines. It lies in being able to tell their stories.” – Ivana Capraro
Grape variety:
Sangiovese, Merlot
Colour:
Bright ruby red
On the nose:
Aromas of redcurrants and pomegranate, accompanied by delicate floral notes.
On the palate:
Immediately characterised by a lovely freshness, with ripe, soft and finely-crafted tannins. The structure of the Merlot and the vigour of the Sangiovese seem to play off each other, without either grape variety completely dominating the other.
Salute!
Fancy giving it a go?
Enjoy Castel wines at home
You can enjoy this superb Luce 2022, as well as other wines from the Frescobaldi family’s estates, here at Castel; and, if you wish, you can also take some of them home with you at attractive prices from our hotel’s own wine shop. Alternatively, we’d be happy to post your chosen wines directly to you – in any case, I’m very much looking forward to your visit.
Yours, Ivana Capraro
© Image sources: Tenuta Luce
