Tasca’s Bordeaux Blend Is an Homage to a Sicilian Winemaking Legend

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As most Sicilian winemakers are doubling down on the island’s native grapes such as Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Lucido, and Grillo, the Tasca family is doing the exact opposite. They’re releasing limited-edition Bordeaux-style blend that is a testament to their history. Named Lucio Pensiero—Italian for “Lucio’s Thoughts”—this special bottling pays homage to Lucio Tasca, the man who first brought French varieties to the island in the late 1970s. An enticing blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, the wine had fewer than 5,500 bottles produced of its inaugural 2022 vintage and only 300 are allocated to the United States.

Alberto Tasca, eighth generation of the Tasca D’Almerita family and owner of Tenuta Regaleali and four other Sicilian estates, points out his grandfather Giuseppe was invested deeply in Sicily’s native varieties: “In 1959, he planted Nero d’Avola and Perricone on the San Lucio hill, laying the foundations for Rosso del Conte,” one of the family’s high-end red blends. Explaining that his father, Lucio, was curious about what else Regaleali could do, Tasca says, “In 1979, my father, Lucio, planted a small experimental trial at Tenuta Regaleali, four rows each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc, without initially telling his father, Giuseppe. At the time, these international varieties were not recognized under Sicily’s regional wine regulations, so this was very much an experiment.”

While the story is often told that the French varieties were planted in secret, it was more along the lines of something that Lucio initially kept from his family rather than the regulating wine authorities. Tasca tells Robb Report that the original developmental vines were obtained through a nursery that sold them only for trial purposes, but then the experiment became part of a larger initiative. Realizing how hard it was to sell wine made with unfamiliar varieties from an as-yet-unknown region into the global market, Lucio thought that one of the easiest ways to demonstrate the quality of Sicily was to use internationally known varieties, to “show people the potential of the place,” Tasca says. “After a few years of experimentation, the results validated that experiment.”

The Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon in Lucio Pensiero are grown at Tenuta Regaleali, a 1,500-acre estate about two hours southeast of Palermo. Owned by the Tasca D’Almerita family since 1830, the area is planted with wheat, grain, olive trees, and almond trees in addition to native and international grape varieties. “One of the unique characteristics of the estate is its extraordinary range of growing conditions. Regaleali extends across six hills, from approximately 450 to 850 meters [1,475 to 2,790 feet] in elevation, with different soils, exposures and microclimates,” says Tasca’s son Alessandro, who represents the ninth generation of the family. “This gives the winemaking team considerable flexibility in identifying the parcels best suited to each variety and, ultimately, to the character they are seeking in each vintage.”

Some of the Cabernet Sauvignon grown here dates to Lucio’s original 1979 plantings, with additional vineyards added throughout the years, while Cabernet Franc’s history here spans about two decades, including a specific selection grown in one of the estate’s higher-elevation vineyards. Although Merlot is included in this first vintage, Alessandro hints that the blend may change over time, as cultivation of Merlot has become challenging as growing conditions have evolved with climate change. “We expect it to evolve and adapt with each vintage,” he says. “Because of Regaleali’s wide range of different altitude levels, exposures, and diversity of sites, we can have a lot of flexibility in how to employ these varieties so as to best express the unique traits of this place.”

Because it is not available in the United States market yet, we carved time out of a trip to Sicily to taste Tenuta Regaleali 2022 Lucio Pensiero with estate manager and sommelier Valerio D’Angelo. Deep purple in the glass, it has aromas of blackberry, cassis, leather, and sage, with a hint of violet. Plush tannins support luscious flavors of purple plum, eucalyptus, and lavender with a soft touch of earthiness on the orange peel finish. Although it will age gracefully for years to come, we found it to be beautifully balanced and perfect to drink right now, with none of the overpowering notes you might expect after 18 months in new French oak barrels.

“The structure and aromatic complexity transport you to the Right Bank of Bordeaux, but the vibrant acidity and mineral salinity recall what only the high-altitude vineyards of Regaleali could produce with such precision,” says Marco Reitano, chief sommelier of La Pergola, Rome’s first and only restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars. He calls it a “masterpiece reminiscent of The Leopard,” the renowned Sicilian historical novel that was adapted into a popular 2025 Netflix miniseries. “A Bordeaux-style blend of world-class stature, yet profoundly and proudly Sicilian at heart.”

Maurizio Cerio, sommelier at Don Alfonso 1890 in Sorrento, which holds two Michelin stars, says Lucio Tasca “always went above and beyond.” He calls the wine dedicated to Lucio “a modern wine, certainly easy on the palate but one that lingers on the taste buds.” Agreeing with our assessment that it is drinking beautifully now but has the potential to improve with age, he adds, “This first vintage can be enjoyed immediately but, in my opinion, if you want something more, you should wait because it has a lot to offer.” “For our family, tradition has never meant keeping things exactly as they were. I think it is more about understanding what previous generations were trying to achieve and finding your own way to carry that thinking forward,” Alessandro says. “It’s an idea of Lucio and what he always believed in. He didn’t believe in trends and wanted to follow his palate, his heart, and his ideas. If you follow something with your heart, it will turn out well.” Although he is not here to witness it, we are pleased to say Lucio’s vision has turned out exceptionally well.

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