Petrolo Galatrona

Galatrona is the “Gran-Cru” of Merlot of Petrolo, only made with the grapes from the vineyard of the same name planted between the end of the 80’s and half of the 90’s with low vigor bordeaux clones. The peculiar soil, rich in clay in combination with schist, marl and sandstones, allows the concentration of all the noble components of the grapes, fundamental for the great structure, elegance, balance and persistence wanted for this wine.

Winemaker notes

Intense elegant wine with great structure and complexity, lovely balance between acidity, fruit and tannins. A great wine, beyond the grape varietal it’s made from, must talk of the piece of land it came from. Beyond being mainly good, it has to be a classic in its own way.

2020

Wine Advocate 96: The Petrolo 2020 Galatrona is a pure expression of organic Merlot and the estate's headline wine. It was first created in 1994 when Luca Sanjust's second child, Lucia, was born. Despite the summer heat that became a challenge for winemakers in many corners of Tuscany, Galatrona shows terrific results in 2020. The vineyard is located in a cool and thickly forested position almost exactly between Florence, Arezzo and Siena. The vintage has a classic quality with a subtle bouquet that grows in intensity as the wine opens in the glass. Aromas of cherry, toasted almond and dried mint fuel a long and very elegant finish. The oak tannins are soft and sweet, and the wine boasts long-lasting flavors.

James Suckling 97: Subtle yet intense aromas of black fruit and violets. Extremely perfumed. Crushed stones. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that give a mouth-feel of velvet that goes on for minutes. Refined and fresh. Al-dente fruit. From organically grown grapes. Better in three to four years.

2021

James Suckling 98: The aromas here are very distinct with dried flowers such as lavender and violets. Some sage as well. Black berries and black olive skin. Fullbodied yet linear and energetic with very fine tannins and fantastic length. Fresh and lively in the finish.

2022

Wine Advocate 97: The Petrolo 2022 Val d'Arno di Sopra Galatrona is a beautiful wine with an elegantly focused and streamlined style. Proprietor Luca Sanjust describes this vintage as "the most Tuscan version of Galatrona" he has produced, and he remarks on the ability of Merlot, the grape used here, to resemble Sangiovese in the unique Valdarno territory. Winemaking has been tweaked to produce the wine in an initially more reductive style to ensure better and longer bottle evolution. The team is working with better woods, neutral oak and bigger capacities. There is more work with the lees and no racking. The wine shows a core of dark fruit with wild berries and pressed rose. This medium-plus Tuscan Merlot concludes with lasting freshness. The Galatrona site has mixed soils with sand, rocks and clay. Two geological plates meet at this spot, and the clay pan folds underground as a result. The site is surrounded by cooling forests.

James Suckling 100: The floral aromas are spellbinding, with aromas of violets, lilacs, orange peel, raspberries, rose petals, and some oranges. It’s medium- to full-bodied with crunchy and open-grain tannins that are creamy and caressing. It’s endless in the finish. Crunchy and energetic. A wine that is thoughtful and gives you such great pleasure. Such purity. It’s like eating perfectly ripened grape must. Pure merlot. Drinkable in many ways, but will come together beautifully. A new reference point for merlot in Italy. Drink after 2028.

Vinous 94: The 2022 Galatrona, 100% Merlot, is another super-attractive wine from Petrolo. It offers lovely up-front appeal to match its easygoing personality. Blue/purplish fruit, licorice, lavender, spice and mocha meld together. The 2022 naturally does not have the structure or depth of the top years, but that simply was not possible in this vintage.

Wine Enthusiast 98: Petrolo's Galatrona becomes increasingly convincing with each passing vintage--as the Merlot reveals increasing complexity, the confident, hands-off winemaking approach and the purity guaranteed by the fermentation and aging vessels come together to create a seamless, uninhibited expression.

Falstaff 97: Rich ruby with a purple shimmer. Shows plenty of sweet dark berryish fruit on the nose, lots of blackberry and wild raspberry, plus fine tobacco and chocolate notes, some cardamom. Ripe, vivid fruit on the palate, currently still showing somewhat rough tannins, hearty and gripping yet unfortunately not at the level of previous years.