Monthly wines by the glass in Lucca for a good evening

For anyone looking for monthly wines by the glass in Lucca, the question is not only what to drink. It is where to stop in the evening, how to choose a bottle or a glass without wasting time, and what to eat that knows its place. At Via Calderia 12, a stone’s throw from Piazza San Michele, we change our wines by the glass often. That way, anyone spending one night in town finds the Tuscany they wanted to drink. And those who live here have a concrete reason to come back.

We are open Monday to Saturday, from 18:00 to 23:00. We are a wine bar with a kitchen: a list of almost 200 labels, mostly Italian and French, selected bottle by bottle, and a short menu. We do not give lectures. We bring a good glass and a precise dish to the table, along with the time to enjoy them.

Why monthly wines by the glass in Lucca really change

Around ten wines by the glass may look like a number chosen for show. It is not. It is enough to choose well, without facing an endless list that demands more energy than a day spent walking on the city walls.

We change them often because a by-the-glass list has to keep moving. One month might be the moment for a Tuscan Sangiovese, a Vermentino, a Brunello di Montalcino or a Bolgheri. Another might leave more room for Piedmont, Burgundy or Champagne. We do not fill the blackboard for the sake of it: we choose bottles that make sense together, but also on their own.

Tuscany remains the first starting point. It is what our international tables drink most often, and it is hard to argue with someone who has come to Lucca for two nights and wants a well-made Chianti Classico, a Brunello or a red from Bolgheri. These are wines that carry a place with them without needing to say too much about it. The list also includes less obvious local Tuscan labels, for those who want to step away from the famous names without taking risky decisions.

For regulars from Lucca, the surrounding plain or Versilia, the frequent change keeps things from becoming routine. You can stop by for a glass and a light dinner, or stay longer. The list stays recognizable, but never static. It is a small difference on paper and a very useful one when you go out on an ordinary Tuesday evening.

Tuscany first, France with a reason

Our French identity is not an excuse to complicate the evening. Burgundy, Champagne and Bordeaux are part of the cellar because we like them and because we have built a selection with care, from the best-known names to small producers. But we do not expect anyone who walks in to know everything.

If you would like a Tuscan red, we start there. If a bottle of Burgundy is the reason for your visit, the choice is there. The same goes for Bordeaux: our Bordeaux Experience includes châteaux from the 1980s onwards. These are bottles for those looking for a vintage, an appellation or simply a story already written in the wine. No solemn speeches are needed. What matters is choosing the bottle well and opening it at the right table.

The same logic applies to our wines by the glass. France should not feel like an exam, and Tuscany should not become a distracted habit. We rework the selection often precisely to keep both alive.

A glass needs something to eat

The menu is short because wine has to stay at the center, not because you are meant to eat little. There are dishes designed for sharing and dishes that call for a glass of red alongside. The sourdough focaccia arrives toasted, with Campanian tomato, Tuscan olive oil and Maldon salt. You eat it with your hands. It needs no instructions.

The fresh pasta lasagna is made with a beef and pork ragù cooked for 24 hours. It sits well next to a Sangiovese, a Brunello or a Barolo, but it does not force anyone to follow a rule. The sweet and sour pork ribs go in another direction and work well when the table wants to share several things without ordering a formal dinner.

Then there is the pantry. Cured meats, from Culatta di Parma to Jamón 100% Ibérico de Bellota; Italian and French cheeses, from Tuscan pecorino to Jura Comté; Gillardeau oysters and caviar. It is the right part of the menu for those who want to drink well and eat without a fixed three-course route.

For many travelers this freedom matters. You might arrive at 21:30, after walking around Lucca all day. You do not always feel like a long dinner. A glass, the sourdough focaccia and a selection from the pantry can be enough. Or they are the beginning, and then a bottle gets opened.

Not just a place for those in town for one night

Same-day bookings are common. Lucca is explored on foot, and the decision about where to drink often comes when it is already evening. That is why we keep the experience straightforward: a list built with judgment, a kitchen that does not pose, and service that starts from the simplest question, namely what you feel like drinking tonight.

For those who live nearby, our monthly wines by the glass are instead a small habit that changes regularly. You do not need to wait for a big occasion to open a French bottle or drink a well-chosen Tuscan red. You can drop by for a lasagna, for cheese and cured meats, or for a glass before heading home. The value lies in coming back and finding something different, not the same answer every time.

We have received the Star Wine List Best Newcomer 2025 and the Star Wine List Best Medium-Sized Wine List 2026, as well as the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 and in 2026. They are welcome recognitions, but they do not change the most concrete thing: a cellar has to work for the table in front of you. For those who want a Brunello. For those looking for Bordeaux with a few decades behind it. For those who just want a Tuscan white and something savory.

A tasting, if you want to go beyond the glass

We organize guided tastings by reservation from 20 euros. They suit those who want to devote the evening to a region, a style or a selection from the cellar, without turning everything into a test of expertise. We can also put together private gatherings.

For a tasting, it is best to book. For a table, you can use OpenTable or call +39 376 203 5395. If you are here for just one weekend, better not to leave the choice to the last minute. If you live here, there will soon be a different by-the-glass list: reason enough to drop by again.

In the evening, in front of a well-chosen selection of wines by the glass, the decision can stay simple. Choose the Tuscany you were looking for, or let us suggest a French detour. We will take care of the rest.

Pier Giulio Bendinelli