2022 Petrolo “Galatrona” Toscana
A benchmark Merlot from Tuscany’s Val d’Arno di Sopra appellation, Galatrona is crafted from low-yielding, organically farmed vines. Fermented in
Producer
Petrolo
I have reviewed three wines from Petrolo, from the 2021 to 2023 vintages, all from Toscana. Most are Merlot. Scores range from 96 to 99, averaging 98; the highest is the 2022 Petrolo “Galatrona” Toscana (99 points).
Petrolo is the hidden gem of the Valdarno di Sopra, a historic but little-known appellation between Florence and Arezzo. Owned by the Bazzocchi-Sanjust family and guided by Luca Sanjust, the estate farms organically and has shown that Tuscany’s interior can produce world-class Merlot and Sangiovese.
Galatrona, 100% Merlot, is one of Italy’s most iconic single-varietal wines and among its highest-rated Merlots year after year. It comes from a 10-hectare plot of clay-rich soil, from low-yielding vines, fermented in concrete and aged in French oak: black cherry, plum and blackberry with violets, graphite and savory Tuscan herbs, powerful yet finessed, with a long, mineral finish and 15 to 20 years ahead of it.
The Bòggina vineyard gives the estate’s Sangiovese crus, and Bòggina B shows the same ambition with Trebbiano Toscano: old local clones replanted below the historic vineyard, hand-harvested, fermented with native yeasts in French tonneaux and aged more than fifteen months on the lees. It takes a grape most people associate with dilute whites and makes something serious.
2021 Petrolo “Boggina B” Trebbiano Toscana
The fruit is Trebbiano Toscano in purity, drawn from old material originally selected in the Valdarno and planted in the
2023 Petrolo “Galatrona” Toscana
The 2023 Petrolo “Galatrona” is a stunning expression of pure Merlot. For decades, Galatrona has stood as one of Italy’s