The wines of Luce and Lucente were created by a joint venture between the Robert Mondavi family of Napa Valley and the Marchesi de' Frescobaldi family of Tuscany, Italy. This partnership, which was formed in 1995, came about because of the desire on behalf of Robert Mondavi's family to return to their Italian roots. This was the first joint venture in Italy between two internationally distinguished wine producers using their combined resources and winemaking expertise to create Italian wine of superior quality and elegance. Together they purchased a parcel of land in Montalcino, next to the Frescobaldi's Castel Giocondo estate. This area, approximately 20 miles south of Siena, is regarded as the birthplace of the richest and most intense Tuscan red wines.