Bordeaux vintages in Lucca from 1980 onward

Those looking for Bordeaux vintages in Lucca aren't looking for a lecture. They're looking for a bottle with something to say, a table without ceremony, and someone who knows why that bottle is still there. At Tomkat, we keep a selection of Bordeaux from the 1980s onward. It's not a wall built to make noise. It's a precise part of our cellar, chosen bottle by bottle.

We're at Via Calderia 12, in the historic center, just a few steps from Piazza San Michele. We're open in the evening, Monday through Saturday. Many guests arrive after a day in Lucca and order Tuscany: Brunello di Montalcino, Bolgheri, Sangiovese, Vermentino, Barolo when the evening takes a different direction. That's normal. Tuscany is the first glass at almost every table. Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne, however, are an important part of our identity.

Bordeaux vintages: why we keep them on the list

A Bordeaux with a few decades behind it isn't a bottle to open simply because it has an important year written on the label. The vintage matters, of course. But so do the bottle's provenance, how it has been stored, and the moment when you open it. That's why we don't buy a category. We select individual bottles.

Our Bordeaux Experience begins in the 1980s and spans very different decades. There are châteaux many people already know, as well as less well-known estates that may be more interesting at the table precisely because of that. The selection changes. We update the cellar every week, and we don't work with a static list put there just to be photographed.

We have almost 200 Italian and French labels. These numbers aren't meant to impress anyone. They give us the room to choose the right bottle for two people, for a table that wants to compare two regions, or for someone who arrives with a specific idea and wants to drink well without turning dinner into an exam.

From 1980 onward, without obligatory nostalgia

Old vintages have their own charm, but we don't ask anyone to drink them at all costs. Sometimes a younger bottle is the more sensible choice. It depends on how many of you there are, what you've ordered, how much time you have, and what kind of evening you want.

If there are two of you and you want to start with a Tuscan red, we can stay in Tuscany. If, on the other hand, you're in Lucca for one night and want to open a bottle you're unlikely to encounter in an everyday glass, then Bordeaux is worth considering. You don't need to know classifications, abbreviations, or scores. Just tell us what you usually drink and how far beyond your usual Brunello or Bolgheri you want to go.

A mature vintage can be the centerpiece of dinner, but it shouldn't steal the evening. We like it when it remains a simple gesture: you open it, pour it, eat, and talk. The rest follows naturally.

Bordeaux at the table, not in a display case

Our menu is concise. It's designed to accompany the wine, not chase after it. The beef roast is slow-cooked and arrives with chimichurri and a tangy beef jus. With an evolved Bordeaux, it can be a natural choice, especially if the table feels like sitting down and staying awhile. We wouldn't call it a perfect pairing: it depends on the bottle, its structure, and how delicate it has become after years in bottle. But it's a serious starting point.

To start, Focaccia y Tomate is often enough: focaccia, Campanian tomato, Tuscan olive oil, and Maldon salt. You eat it with your hands, share it, and it requires no explanation. If you'd rather keep things lighter, the pantry helps: cured meats from Culatta di Parma to Jamón 100% Ibérico de Bellota, Italian and French cheeses, Gillardeau oysters, and caviar. An old bottle doesn't need a silent room. It needs the right company and something good on the table.

The sweet-and-sour Pork Ribs also have their place, but it's best to talk first. They work well with some reds and less well with others. We don't pretend that every dish is made for every wine. The useful part of sitting at our counter or table is precisely this: we choose together without complicating things.

Tuscany first, then France

Most of our international guests arrive looking for Tuscany. We understand that perfectly. A Chianti Classico, a Brunello di Montalcino, or a red from Bolgheri makes sense in Lucca. We also keep local Tuscan wines and bottles from less recent vintages on the list, because a two- or three-night holiday is a good time to drink something you don't easily encounter at home.

Then there are those who come back. People who live in Lucca, the Piana, or Versilia and don't always feel like having a full dinner. For them, we keep a selection of wines by the glass that changes often. Sometimes the road leads toward Tuscany, sometimes toward France. Availability changes, so it's better to ask what's available that evening rather than arrive with an imaginary bottle in mind.

Burgundy, Champagne, and Bordeaux remain the French side of our cellar. They're also the work that earned us Star Wine List Best Newcomer in 2025 and Best Medium-Sized Wine List in 2026, as well as Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 and 2026. We regard them as a responsibility, not an excuse to speak in complicated terms.

If you want to understand Bordeaux vintages before ordering

You can simply book a table and tell us you want to drink Bordeaux. If you're curious but don't want to commit to a bottle right away, we offer guided tastings bookable from 20 euros. They're a direct way to find your bearings in our selection and understand whether, that evening, you want to stay in Tuscany or cross over to France.

For small groups or private occasions, we can build an evening around the cellar and the kitchen. Here too, the most useful thing is to be clear from the start: how many people you are, how much time you have, and what you're interested in drinking. We don't promise bottles we don't have. The cellar moves, vintages sell out, and that's fine.

If you're in Lucca this week and want a bottle with a few years behind it, book through OpenTable or call +39 376 203 5395. Come with one simple question: Tuscany or Bordeaux? We'll take care of the rest, one bottle at a time.

Pier Giulio Bendinelli