Tour de Lucci

If my suitcase could talk… well, it would probably be begging for mercy. We just wrapped a whirlwind few weeks I've been calling Tour de Lucci—LA, Vegas, Napa Valley, and New York City, all in one beautiful, Lambrusco-soaked blur.

So here’s my one request before we dive in: grab yourself a glass of Lucci, get comfy, and let’s recap this whole wild month together. (If you’re in NYC, you can order a bottle on Gopuff or Instacart right this second—no judgment, only encouragement.) 🍷

Looking back, it's wild how much has changed in such a short time. We introduced Lucci at our launch party in New York, and a few weeks later I was at SOBEWFF actually pouring it and getting to talk about it out loud for the first time—brand-new territory for me, and I was so excited to finally share this thing I’d been building for three years. Now? Seeing our name on the lineup alongside heritage brands and watching people fall in love with a sparkling red, the momentum is real. We are officially on the map.

Keep reading for my play-by-play tour diary—from Sin City to Napa Valley to NYC, and back home to my babies.

We kicked off the trip flying from LAX to Las Vegas, and because I physically cannot sit still, I decided to take over the cabin service. I literally shimmied down the aisle doing my best flight-attendant impression, hyping up Lambrusco to unsuspecting passengers at 35,000 feet. And yes, I was in full glam and a saucy Roberto Cavalli dress, because why not?

Vegas, babyyy! This stop hit me hard, but it was so much fun. On Friday, we kicked off Connoisseur by Wynn: Lucci Cocktails & Conversation at Pisces (highly recommended if you love Mediterranean food!), talking all about the inspiration behind the brand with Mariena Mercer Boarini, Wynn’s master mixologist and one of the most decorated female mixologists in North America. She created three original Lucci cocktails—including a banging Lucci Lychee Martini that she called the Modena—that were out of this world!! I loved the Q&A portion, too (shoutout to Melinda Sheckells for moderating).

For the event, I wore a white button-down shirt dress from Givenchy. It was classy, it was elegant, my shoulders were out with a little bit of cleavage, it hugged my waist…it was giving hourglass. I paired it with my bright purple sequined Fendi baguette bag, which I’ve been dying to wear.

Afterward, we moved the party to the AFT Cocktail Deck at Allegro to mingle with pool guests and sip those gorgeous cocktails, then I closed out Friday night at Zero Bond with our Disco Bébé Terrace Takeover. The dress code: All-white optional. The frosé carts: Rolling deep. I also jumped behind the bar to pour rounds myself (my new favorite thing). I wear many hats here at Lucci.

You know I’m not an all-work-and-no-play kind of girl. So of course we made time for a bit of Vegas fun:

The Pool Party: Hit up the Calvin Harris day pool party. I love me some Calvin Harris! I even got to go on stage during his set, though it made me realize my peak club days might be behind me—I only lasted 45 minutes. The real highlight, though? A friend ordered 20 bottles of Lucci, and the bottle girls came parading out with sparklers and a sign like it was a whole production. Seeing Lucci get the full sparkler treatment in a Vegas pool? I have to say… it was a HIGHLIGHT.

The Team-Building Exercise: I took the entire team to see No Doubt at the Sphere. Best. Decision. Ever. I knew about 90% of the lyrics and was screaming them right along with Gwen Stefani.

Pro-tip if you ever go to the Sphere: They have a strict 4x4-inch purse policy. I ended up as the team pack mule and carried everyone’s IDs and wallets in my practical cargo pants. Mom mode activated! And one more: try to snag seats in the 200s—it’s the perfect view for everything.

The Casino Floor: I learned how to play craps and somehow walked away having spent zero dollars of my own. Here’s how: I told my friend I’d go in on $1,000 with him, we promptly lost all of it, and then he got so deep gambling away even more of his own money that he never once came back to collect my half. (Hopefully he doesn’t read this!!) 🎰

The Vibe Check: We had an incredible Cantonese meal at Red 8 (where I had to creatively tape a scarf around my shoulders to adhere to their no-sheer-dress code) and I got to catch up with the stunning Raeann Langas at Delilah (love a curvy-girl Vegas takeover!).

From the desert straight to the vineyards! We caught a JSX flight from Las Vegas to Oakland, and yes, I stayed in full glam during transit so I could hit the ground running. Napa Valley had a completely different, family-friendly, beautifully calm vacation energy.

The highlight of the weekend was probably taking over the culinary stage—hosted by the one and only Andrew Zimmern—alongside the brilliant Chef Evan Funke. He’s an insane talent who owns restaurants around the country—Funke, Mother Wolf, Tre Dita, etc. We did an interactive pizza prep demonstration, and yes, my restaurant skills from the SOBEWFF pizza ovens definitely came in handy. Evan actually put Lucci into a squeeze bottle and used it as a reduction directly on the pizzas, which was pure heaven.

It was a massive networking opportunity—we met with a wine distributor about future opportunities (fingers crossed!) and I did an impromptu interview with former Golden State Warriors player Festus Ezeli. He admitted to me that he wears gloves to eat chicken wings. As a certified wing specialist, I had to tell him right then and there that is an absolute deal breaker! However, my primary mission outside of pouring wine and making connections was hunting down BottleRock’s legendary caviar corn dogs… BUT wouldn’t you know it, they were sold out by the time I finally tracked down the stand. Looks like I’ll have to go back next year to deliver my final verdict!

I did have the option to stay longer in Napa and catch the Backstreet Boys performance, but by this point in the trip, the mom guilt hit me hard. I decided to pass on the concert, pack up early, and fly home to New Jersey to spend a quiet, rainy Memorial Day with Justin and my boys. Like I always say, there is no perfect balance with this working mom stuff—you just have to handle exactly what’s in front of you, and follow your heart when it’s pulling you home.

And then, the sweetest way to close out the whole tour: Lucci Lambrusco is officially part of Williams Sonoma—and to celebrate, we threw a little party on the top floor of the Columbus Circle store in NYC.

Belle English, Williams Sonoma’s culinary and test kitchen director, flew in and made the most gorgeous rigatoni—truly, I’m still thinking about it—and we poured Lucci all night long alongside our Lucci Lambrusco Granita. There was a DJ, there was a meet and greet, and getting to hug some of your necks in person was everything. We even had a sister event happening at the same time out in LA. Intimate, joyful, a little loud in the best way—exactly the Lucci energy I always want to bring you.

The best part? You don’t need a ticket to join the party now—Lucci is on the shelves. So pour yourself a glass and consider this a toast to all of you who’ve come along for the ride.

A few months ago, talking about wine on a stage was brand-new territory. Now? It’s basically becoming a weekly thing—this stretch alone I was slinging pizzas on a culinary stage and pouring Lambrusco above the clouds. This was just part one of Tour de Lucci, and if the first stretch taught me anything, it’s that stepping out of your comfort zone is where the magic lives. Growth is exhausting, and in my case it usually involves a little bit of mom guilt—but when you build a community that shows up and supports you, every single mile is worth it.

As always, I want to hear from YOU:

First things first: did I get to see you this month? To everyone who came out in NYC (and LA!), thank you—you made it. And if you grabbed a bottle to read along with today, tell me what you’re sipping!

Second things second: Would you ever try a caviar corn dog, or is that a step too far?

Drop a comment below and let’s chat!

Sending you love (and bubbles!), xo Ashley

A bible verse I love “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” — Proverbs 16:3

A Lucci recipe I’m loving right now The Lucci Granita with Italian Meringue we made with Williams Sonoma—I’m OBSESSED. It’s light and fruit-forward with a little orange blossom water, topped with airy Italian meringue. The perfect sweet treat for hot patio days. Recipe here:

The song I can’t get out of my head “Spiderwebs” by No Doubt. Ever since the Sphere, I’ve been humming it non-stop, belting it out in the shower, and generally disturbing the people around me. It’s just a perfect song!

A question I’m getting asked a lot lately “What do you think about AI and fashion?” My answer? Technology can obviously track data (sometimes a little too well?), but it can never take away the real, raw emotional connection that models, designers, and creators have with their communities.

The best thing I ate this month The thin-crust pizza at Allegro in Vegas—it honestly tasted like the south of Italy. I’m still thinking about it.

A sweet/funny moment from the boys Lately the boys have been communicating with me almost entirely through Memoji—they’ll pick the most random funny animal and send me voice memos through it. It’s the silliest, sweetest thing, and I’m obsessed.

A workout I’m doing these days While in LA, I got an incredible, high-energy workout in with my friend, the GOAT trainer Shannon Decker!