Bordeaux Lucca and the pleasure of old vintages

Bordeaux Lucca is not a vague promise of important bottles put on display. For us, it means being able to open a story, often one that began decades ago, at the table on Via Calderia 12. We are just steps from Piazza San Michele and open in the evenings, Monday through Saturday, for those who want to drink well in Lucca without turning dinner into a lecture.

Most of our guests start with Tuscany. And rightly so. Brunello di Montalcino, Bolgheri, Sangiovese, and Vermentino are what most often end up in the glasses. Then there are those who look at the list, see Bordeaux, and ask a very simple question: can you really drink it here?

Yes. And the point is not to impress anyone with a name or a vintage. The point is to choose a bottle that still has something to say, open it at the right moment, and place it alongside a dish that does not ask it to do everything on its own.

Bordeaux Lucca, a list built bottle by bottle

Our cellar holds almost 200 Italian and French labels. Pier Giulio chooses them one at a time, and the list changes every week. The numbers are not meant to impress: they explain why an evening can begin with a Tuscan white and end with a Bordeaux red you have been searching for years, or one you had never thought to order.

Tuscany comes first, because we are here and because many guests come to Lucca for a few nights and want to drink the region. We have Brunello, Bolgheri, Barolo, Sangiovese, and Vermentino, as well as a few lesser-known Tuscan wines. A Chianti Classico may be the most natural choice for a first evening in the city. A Brunello may make more sense when the table lingers longer. A Bolgheri may appeal to anyone looking for a broader, more immediate red. There is no textbook answer.

Bordeaux is the other part of our identity. The Bordeaux Experience brings together châteaux from the 1980s onward. We are talking about bottles with time behind them, not objects to keep closed for fear of making the wrong choice. Some vintages call for attention and patience. Others are surprisingly direct. The choice depends on the bottle, the number of people at the table, and how you want to eat.

We do not present Bordeaux as an obligatory alternative to Tuscany. That would make little sense. We offer it when you feel like changing pace, or when you have already returned to Lucca and want to find something that is not the usual list of regional wines. For a collector, it may be the reason for the visit. For someone in the city for two nights, it may be a way to end the trip with a different bottle.

An evening that begins with Tuscany

If you come in without a specific idea, we start with what you are eating and how much time you have. No long speeches are necessary. If you want a glass and something to share, the Focaccia y Tomate is a good starting point: focaccia, Campanian tomato, Tuscan olive oil, and Maldon salt. You eat it with your hands. No ceremony required.

For a more intimate dinner, there is slow-cooked beef roast with chimichurri sauce and tangy beef jus. It sits well alongside reds with depth, both Tuscan and French. The Pork Ribs sweet & sour have a different character and call for a more precise choice. Here, we like to pause for a minute, understand what you have ordered, and decide together.

The pantry makes it possible to eat lightly without having a full meal. There are cured meats ranging from Culatta di Parma to Jamón 100% Ibérico de Bellota, Italian and French cheeses from Tuscan pecorino to Jura Comté, Gillardeau oysters, and caviar. A mature bottle does not necessarily call for an elaborate dish. Sometimes all you need is a good cheese, well-sliced cured meat, and an unhurried table.

This is also why Bordeaux works in Lucca. After a day among the walls, squares, and narrow streets, many people look for a place to sit and drink a wine they would not easily find elsewhere. They do not need to know every name on the list. It is enough for us to know whether they prefer to stay in Tuscany or feel like venturing toward France.

Wines by the glass, a changing list

Not every evening calls for a bottle. We have a selection of wines by the glass that changes often. It is the simplest way to come back even on a weekday and find something different. For visitors passing through, it is a practical opportunity to drink a well-chosen Tuscan red without having to decide on a whole bottle. For those who live between Lucca, the Piana, and Versilia, it is a reason to return to the city center.

The by-the-glass list does not replace the cellar. It does a different job. It lets you start with a Vermentino, move on to a Sangiovese, or choose a more structured red while you decide whether to open a bottle. Sometimes the glass remains the best choice. We do not push a bottle simply because we are a wine shop.

The guided tastings can be booked from 20 euros. They are designed for those who want to compare bottles and regions without having to organize anything themselves. We can also create a private experience for small groups. The content of the evening always starts with the cellar's actual availability. We do not promise a label if it is not ready to drink or is not on the list.

For those looking for a bottle with a story

Old vintages have charm, but they are not all the same. A bottle from the past can be delicate, intense, quiet, or still full of energy. That is precisely why the selection matters more than the date on the label. We do not chase a vintage simply for the pleasure of saying it aloud. We look for bottles worth opening.

Our French selection includes Burgundy, Champagne, and Bordeaux, from great estates to small producers. It is a selection that brought us the Star Wine List Best Newcomer 2025 and Best Medium-Sized Wine List 2026, as well as the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 and 2026. We are happy about the awards. Then, as always, what matters is what reaches the glass and who you drink it with.

If you are looking for Bordeaux in Lucca, come with curiosity, not an exam to pass. You can ask for an old vintage, a bottle to share, or simply a recommendation for dinner. We will tell you clearly what is available, what makes sense to open, and what we would save for another evening.

For an evening in the city center, book on OpenTable or call +39 376 203 5395. Come for a Brunello, stay for a bottle of Bordeaux if it is the right one. Wine does not have to make noise to be remembered.

Pier Giulio Bendinelli