Collector tastings in Lucca, by the glass

People looking for collector tastings in Lucca often aren't looking for a lesson. They're looking for a bottle they don't come across every evening, someone who knows why it's on the list and a table where they can drink it without turning dinner into a ceremony. That's what we do at Via Calderia 12, in the historic centre, a few steps from Piazza San Michele.

We are open in the evening, Monday to Saturday, from 18:00 to 23:00. We have almost 200 Italian and French labels, chosen one bottle at a time and updated every week. The number isn't there to impress. It's there to leave room for a simple question: what do you feel like drinking tonight?

Collector tastings in Lucca, without the theatre

Our guided tastings can be booked from 20 euros. They can be the most direct way into the cellar, but they're not an exam and don't require any particular vocabulary. You tell us what you're curious about, how much time you have and whether you'd rather stay in Tuscany or move on to France. We build the tasting from there.

For many guests visiting Lucca, the first choice remains Tuscan. It makes sense: Brunello di Montalcino, Bolgheri, Sangiovese and Vermentino are the bottles that most often end up on the tables. There are also small Tuscan producers, the kind you rarely see outside the area. For a couple staying one or two nights, this can be the right tasting: concrete, tied to the place and broad enough not to come down to a single name.

For collectors, though, Tuscany is often the beginning rather than the limit. We have old vintages, mature bottles and a selection designed for those who want to compare eras, producers and styles without having to work through an endless list. We don't suggest a bottle because it's hard to find. We suggest it when it's the right moment to open it.

From Tuscany to France, for a clear reason

France is a central part of our identity. Burgundy, Champagne and Bordeaux aren't an aside at the bottom of the list. They're the reason many enthusiasts come back. Alongside important names, we look for small producers and bottles that deserve attention for what they say in the glass, not for how the label looks in a photo.

The Bordeaux Experience is the clearest expression of this work: châteaux from the 1980s onwards. Here time isn't an abstract concept. It's a bottle that may still have energy, or one to approach calmly, perhaps alongside a simple dish and a long conversation. It depends on the vintage, the storage, the table and who's sitting across from you. That's why we prefer to talk about it at the bar or at the table, rather than reduce everything to a classification.

In Burgundy the conversation changes. It may appeal to those who know the region well and are looking for a specific producer, but also to those who want to understand why certain bottles are sought after so stubbornly. In Champagne, we alternate between houses and growers. There's no need to order a celebration: just choose a bottle well and give it time at the table.

A list to drink from, even without opening a rarity

Not every evening calls for an old vintage or a collector's bottle. In fact, a good list should also work when you walk in after a stroll around Lucca and simply want to drink well. That's why we keep a selection of wines by the glass that changes often.

It's a concrete reason to come back, especially for those who live in Lucca, on the surrounding plain or in Versilia. One evening might belong to Sangiovese; another might have you stop at a Barolo, a Tuscan white or a French bottle that deserves a second glass. We don't promise the same label will always be there. We promise the selection keeps moving.

For those who are only here briefly, a glass is also a practical way to get to know our approach before choosing a bottle. We don't impose set routes. If you want Brunello, we start with Brunello. If you have Bolgheri in mind, let's talk about it. If you came for Bordeaux, we won't steer you elsewhere on principle. A well-made tasting isn't the one that takes you where we want, but the one that helps you find the right bottle for your evening.

The kitchen serves the wine, but doesn't stay in the background

The menu is short because we like it to be easy to read. We don't turn dinner into an endurance test. We make simple, authentic, unpretentious dishes, designed to go with a bottle and to allow a light dinner too.

The beef roast is slow-cooked and arrives with its tangy jus and chimichurri sauce. With a structured Tuscan red it's a natural choice, but it can work just as well alongside a mature Bordeaux, when the bottle needs a dish that won't talk over it. The sweet-and-sour pork ribs shift the table to a different tone. The Focaccia y Tomate, with focaccia, Campanian tomato, Tuscan olive oil and Maldon salt, is made to be shared with your hands.

Then there's the pantry. Culatta di Parma, Jamón 100% Ibérico de Bellota, Italian and French cheeses from Tuscan pecorino to Comté from the Jura, Gillardeau oysters and caviar. It's the part of the evening that often sorts everything out: a well-thought-out board, a well-chosen bottle and no need to order a full menu.

When to book a tasting

If you're in town for a weekend, it's best to book as soon as you've decided on the evening. Tastings are available by reservation and we can adapt them to the number of people and the kind of bottles you're interested in. For small groups, celebrations or private gatherings, we also organise private events, always starting from the cellar rather than from ready-made formulas.

If, on the other hand, you're from Lucca or nearby, don't wait for a special occasion. That's exactly the point of a by-the-glass selection that changes often: to give you a reason to drop by on a weekday, drink something different and perhaps start a discussion about a bottle you hadn't planned on.

In 2025 we received the Star Wine List Best Newcomer and the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. In 2026 came the Star Wine List Best Medium-Sized Wine List and, once again, the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. We take them as confirmation of the work in the cellar, not as a reason to make the evening more formal. The bottle stays at the centre.

You can book via OpenTable or call +39 376 203 5395. If you have a region, a vintage or a producer in mind, let us know when you book. If you have no ideas, that's fine too: come with an appetite and enough time to stay for a second glass.

Pier Giulio Bendinelli