Cantine Lucchesi, the authentic taste of Tuscan wine
Some of the finest Tuscan wines are produced in the cellars around Lucca. Among green hills populated by thick and varied vegetation, the vines stretch from whose grapes famous wines spread all over the world are born.
History and success of Lucca wine
The green area around Lucca is crossed by the famous Wine and Oil Road. Here, the essence of the wines is dominated by authentic and true traits, which return all the flavor and scent of their land. The prestige is guaranteed by some specificities of the locality, starting from the climate. The latter ensures the vines an ideal temperature throughout the year. The high peaks also play a very important role, protecting the vineyards from the cold wind coming from the north. Another local peculiarity is added to the perfect environment, that of knowing how to mix local vines with varieties of French origin. All these elements guarantee a high quality in tasting, also thanks to the wine's ability to preserve and release intense and delicate aromas.
There are numerous wineries on the Lucca hills that produce red and white DOC wines. All are subjected to a strict quality control. The “Colline Lucchesi” brand, born in 1968, establishes the rules of the game. According to the standards, white wine can be composed of a “complex and flexible” blend, as long as the higher percentage is Trebbiano Toscano. As far as red wine is concerned, the highest percentage of blend must be Sangiovese. For both wines, the provisions allow two single grape varieties: Merlot and Sangiovese in the case of the red, Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc for the white.
The great classics of Montecarlo between tours and tastings
In the hills around Lucca there is a small and charming town famous for the wines it produces, namely Montecarlo. Here, unlike the other areas of Tuscany, white wine is mainly composed of single grape varieties Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon and Pinot bianco. Montecarlo Rosso and Riserva di Montecarlo are also subjected to specific production standards. The "Riserva" label can be accessed if the wine produced has an alcohol content of 11.5% and the aging period is at least two years.
In Via di Montecarlo 43, Tenuta del Buonamico is one of the best known and most appreciated wineries in the area around Lucca. It was thanks to an intuition of Giulio Magnani, owner of the estate in 1870, that the process of producing local wines with a mixture of French wines was started. When he went to France, Magnani returned by importing some winemaking techniques that would have made Montecarlo wine famous on an international scale. In the Buonamico Estate, among glasses of white wine and red wine, it is also possible to taste the rosé and sparkling wine produced on site. Each wine tour opens with the story of the Buonamico estate, followed by a visit to the cellar, the barrel cellar and the historic cellar. Each visit ends with an oil and wine tasting, in which the organoleptic characteristics of the products are illustrated.
Among the pines and cypresses of Montecarlo, another valuable reality stands out, the Fattoria del Teso. The production of the farm is wisely monitored at all stages by an expert oenologist, whose deep knowledge of the territory is a real guarantee. Located in via della Poltroniera, in addition to white and red wines, Vermentino del Teso is particularly appreciated, whose scent returns delicious fragrances of tomato leaves and mint. The tasting of the latter is included in the tasting of the wines of the Farm, which consists of a visit to the ancient cellar and the vinsantaia.
There is nothing left to do but discover the extraordinary taste of the wines produced on the Lucca hills.