Where to go for wine tastings in Lucca tonight

If you're looking for where to go for wine tastings in Lucca this evening, start with a simple question: do you want a sequence of glasses prepared for you, or a well-chosen bottle and a light dinner to go with it? At Tomkat, we do both, without turning the table into a lesson. 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 to Saturday, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

For many guests, Lucca is a one- or two-night stop. They arrive after a day among the walls, squares, and churches, then look for a serious Brunello, a Bolgheri that doesn't seem chosen at random, a glass of Sangiovese, or a Tuscan Vermentino. It's a good way to start. For those who live here, however, the reason to return changes often: a rotating selection of wines by the glass and a few bottles with several years behind them to open when the occasion calls for it.

Wine tastings in Lucca, with one constant: Tuscany

Tuscany comes first, because it's what almost everyone wants to drink when they arrive in Lucca. Our list includes Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Bolgheri, Sangiovese, and Vermentino, as well as bottles from small Tuscan producers that you often won't find elsewhere. We don't choose a region to fill a page: we choose bottles, one by one.

A guided tasting starts at 20 euros and is built around the time you have, what you want to drink, and how you plan to eat. If there are two of you and you'd like to compare different expressions of Tuscany, we can put together glasses with a clear thread running through them. If you're a group with different tastes, it makes more sense to open the right bottle and share it at the table. There is no required tasting route. There is simply a choice made well.

Pier Giulio selects a cellar of almost 200 labels, mostly Italian and French, updated every week. The numbers aren't meant to impress. They're meant to tell you that we're not here to offer the same bottle at every table. One evening may be the moment for a Brunello, another for an older Tuscan Sangiovese, and another for a local white to keep on the table while focaccia and cured meats arrive.

The right glass even if you haven't planned a tasting

You don't need to book an entire evening to drink thoughtfully. We have a selection of wines by the glass that changes often. It's the simplest option for anyone stopping by after dinner, anyone who wants to linger over a glass and something from the pantry, or anyone returning from Lucca, the Lucca Plain, or Versilia on a weekday.

Sometimes we serve by the glass bottles with more age than you'd expect from a wine bar. This isn't an exercise in nostalgia. It's the most direct way to serve a bottle that might otherwise remain on the list for too long. If you're interested, ask at the table or the bar. If it's available that evening, we'll pour it. If it isn't, we won't invent a story around an alternative.

France is our second language

Those who come for Tuscany will find plenty of Tuscany. Those who come for the cellar will find another part of the house as well. Burgundy, Champagne, and Bordeaux are central to our selection, from maisons and great domaines to the small producers we genuinely like.

For Bordeaux, we have a Bordeaux Experience featuring châteaux from the 1980s onward. It's designed for those looking for mature vintages, not for anyone seeking a rigid formula. An old bottle can be the centerpiece of the evening, but it should be chosen according to the table, the number of people, and what you'd like to eat. Sometimes a Tuscan red is more suitable. Even when the rarest choice is available, it isn't always the best one.

This part of the list has earned us two recognitions that we're happy to accept without turning them into a stage set: Star Wine List named us Best Newcomer 2025 and Best Medium-Sized Wine List 2026. Wine Spectator awarded us the Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 and 2026. These are useful signals for anyone looking for a precise cellar. For us, in the end, what matters is that the chosen bottle returns to the table empty.

What to eat during a tasting

The kitchen is small. We like it that way: just a few dishes, made to stay close to the wine rather than demand all the attention. The Focaccia y Tomate arrives to be shared by hand: focaccia, Campanian tomato, Tuscan olive oil, and Maldon salt. With a Tuscan white or a fresh glass of wine, it's a simple start that's very hard to leave on the table.

If you're in the mood for something more substantial, there's slow-cooked beef roast with chimichurri sauce and a tangy beef jus. It's a dish that calls for a red with presence, but not necessarily the most powerful one on the list. The sweet-and-sour Pork Ribs are another option, less formal and very straightforward.

Then there's the pantry. Culatta di Parma, 100% Ibérico de Bellota Jamón, Italian and French cheeses ranging from Tuscan pecorino to Jura Comté, Gillardeau oysters, and caviar. For a light dinner, this can be enough: a thoughtfully assembled board, a bottle, and time to talk. You don't need to order a full tasting menu to enjoy yourselves at the table.

For an evening for two, a group, or a private tasting

If there are two of you, we can guide you toward a tasting or a bottle to keep until the end. If you're a group, it's best to tell us when you book: we can prepare a sequence that makes sense for everyone, without forcing anyone to drink something they don't want. We also organize private tastings.

For those visiting Lucca, the practical advice is to book as soon as you know you'll be in town. Tables are often booked the same day, and the historic center fills up quickly in the evening. You can book on OpenTable or call +39 376 203 5395. If you have a particular section of the list in mind - Brunello, Bolgheri, Barolo, Burgundy, Champagne, or Bordeaux - write it or tell us. It helps us prepare the evening better.

Come with a specific curiosity or without a plan. We'll put a well-made Tuscany on the table, a French cellar with character, and something to eat that won't draw you away from your glass. For the rest, we'll see you on Via Calderia.

Pier Giulio Bendinelli