Chianti Classico or Brunello: what to drink in Lucca

Chianti Classico or Brunello? It’s one of the questions we hear most often at the bar, especially from people who come to Lucca for two nights and want to drink Tuscany without spending the whole evening comparing appellations. The short answer is: it depends on what you feel like eating, how much time you have, and what kind of bottle you want to remember. We’ll give you the useful answer at the table.

At Tomkat, at Via Calderia 12, just a few steps from Piazza San Michele, Tuscany is the starting point. Brunello di Montalcino, Bolgheri, Sangiovese, Vermentino, and older vintages are the most frequent requests. Then come Burgundy, Champagne, and Bordeaux, which are a defining part of our cellar’s identity. But if you’re in Lucca and looking for the right wine for tonight, we often start with Chianti Classico or Brunello.

Chianti Classico or Brunello: there is no winner

Chianti Classico and Brunello both primarily speak the language of Sangiovese, but they do not bring the same energy to the table. Chianti Classico tends to be the more immediate choice when the evening needs to remain flexible: you start with focaccia, taste some cured meat, order another dish, and talk. It has a presence that accompanies food well without asking everything to stop around the glass.

Brunello, on the other hand, often comes into play when you want to give the bottle more weight. That doesn’t mean it has to be a formal evening. It simply means that the bottle has more space at the table and that it is worth building a small but thoughtfully planned dinner around it. A Brunello can be perfect for two people who are in no hurry, a portion of slow-cooked beef roast, and some bread to keep from leaving its jus on the plate. No choreography. Just a good reason to stay seated a little longer.

The question, then, is not which one is “better.” The question is whether you are looking for tension and momentum, or depth and staying power. This distinction also has its exceptions. There are Chianti Classico wines with years behind them that ask for time, and more open, direct Brunellos that are ready for a dinner without ceremony. That is why we do not choose by slogan.

When Chianti Classico is the right choice

If there are two of you and you want to order several things from the pantry, Chianti Classico is often a good place to start. Our Focaccia y Tomate comes with focaccia, Campanian tomato, Tuscan olive oil, and Maldon salt. It is meant to be eaten with your hands, not analyzed. With a glass of Sangiovese or a bottle of Chianti Classico, the evening gets off to the right start: simple, precise, without turning it into a national affair.

It also works well when Culatta di Parma, 100% Ibérico de Bellota Jamón, Italian and French cheeses, a few Cilento baby artichokes, or some caviar appear at the table. Not because one wine has to solve every tasting, but because Chianti Classico knows how to bring savoriness, fat, salt, and acidity together with a certain naturalness. And because a bottle enjoyed lightly is often the bottle that finishes best.

For those visiting Lucca, there is also a practical reason. After a day among squares, churches, and walks, not everyone is looking for a bottle that sets the pace of dinner. A Chianti Classico can be a very Tuscan and very serious choice without turning a free evening into an exam. If you then want to change direction with the second glass, the selection of wines by the glass changes often. We do not always promise the same name: we prefer to keep the selection alive.

This also applies to those who live in Lucca, the Piana, or Versilia and come back to us during the week. One evening you can choose a glass of Chianti Classico with two dishes from the pantry. Another, you can ask whether an older Tuscan vintage is open. The list is updated bottle by bottle, every week. The numbers are not meant to impress: nearly 200 Italian and French labels mean you do not have to drink the same thing by default.

Chianti Classico with the ribs

The Pork Ribs sweet & sour move the table into a more vibrant register. Here, Chianti Classico can be particularly enjoyable, especially when you are looking for a red with pace rather than an overly broad presence. The contrast between the sweet and sour elements of the dish needs a wine that stays alert. It is one of those cases in which an apparently simpler choice can be more precise.

We are not saying that Brunello is out of place. We are saying that if you order ribs, focaccia, and a few tastings, you should not feel obliged to choose the most important bottle on the list. Sometimes the right choice is the one that lets you order a second glass without thinking twice.

When to choose Brunello in Lucca

Brunello di Montalcino is the choice for those who really want to sit down. It often arrives at our table as a clear request: “We would like a Tuscan red for dinner.” At that point we ask a few questions. Are there two of you or four? Are you hungry? Do you want to start with the pantry or order the slow-cooked beef roast? Are you looking for a bottle ready to drink, or do you want to see whether the list has a vintage with more history?

The slow-cooked beef roast is the dish that most naturally leads to Brunello. The meat has texture, its jus has depth, and the bottle can remain on the table without being overshadowed by the dish. It is not a rule. It is a pairing that makes sense because both work around the same idea: time, concentration, no shortcuts.

Brunello can also be a good choice for a small table that wants one bottle. If there are three or four of you and dinner consists of cheeses, cured meats, and a hot dish, a structured bottle holds the evening together. But moderation is needed. With caviar or more delicate cheeses, for example, we might prefer to change direction. The French cellar is not here for decoration: Champagne and Burgundy are often more sensible answers than a Tuscan red when the dish calls for them.

We also have a selection of Bordeaux dating back to the 1980s. It is not the reason most guests come to us, and that is perfectly fine. Most people want Tuscany. But those who come looking for a bottle with a few decades of life know they can ask. The same applies to older Italian vintages: availability changes, so we do not make catalogue-style promises. We look at what is there that evening.

Glass, bottle, or tasting

If you are undecided between Chianti Classico and Brunello, you do not have to resolve everything before booking. Come for dinner and tell us what you have in mind. We can start with a glass and decide where to go next. The wines by the glass change often precisely for this reason: a fixed list is convenient for the person who prints it, less so for the person who comes back.

For those who want to devote a little more time to wine, we organize guided tastings bookable from 20 euros. They are not lessons with an invisible blackboard. They are a direct way to put a concrete question into the glass: Tuscan Sangiovese, a French region, a bottle with a few years behind it, or a comparison that makes sense for you. Here too, the content depends on the bottles available and on what you want to drink, not on a rigid script.

We received the Star Wine List Best Newcomer 2025 and the Best Medium-Sized Wine List 2026, as well as the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 and 2026. These recognitions are naturally gratifying. But at the bar they only count up to a point. They matter more when they help you understand that behind a Chianti Classico or Brunello recommendation there is no automatic choice.

We are open in the evenings, Monday through Saturday, from 18:00 to 23:00. If you are in Lucca this week, feel free to book on OpenTable or call us at +39 376 203 5395. Come with a desire to drink Tuscany. We will take care of the rest together, one bottle at a time.

Pier Giulio Bendinelli