2023 Petrolo Galatrona
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Tasting notes
The Petrolo 2023 Val d'Arno di Sopra Galatrona stands among Italy’s benchmark expressions of Merlot. This organic wine comes from nine hectares of gently sloping vineyards with medium-rich soils marked by rocks and clay, lending both depth and natural balance. Gorgeously rich, velvety and intense, Galatrona delivers compelling concentration without ever sacrificing elegance or freshness. The underdog 2023 vintage presented notable challenges due to humidity and heat, but meticulous work in the vineyard and at the sorting table proved decisive, especially for an early-ripening variety like Merlot. Fermented in cement and aged in barrique and tonneaux for 18 months, the wine shows harmony between power and finesse. Production is 25,000 bottles.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
100% Merlot. Rain in June affected fruit set leading to a small harvest. Harvest 6–15 September. Spontaneous fermentation in lined concrete vats. Aged for around 18 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux, approx one-third new, with regular bâtonnage for the first few months. Organic. Mid bright blueish crimson. Rather fierce, drying tannins and a slightly old-fashioned structure with ripeness then tannin. Not much length. (JR)
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The aromas of black currants, graphite, lavender and violets are gorgeous. Black olives and walnuts, too. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins, a racy texture and small black berry-like flavors. Iron undertones as well as dark chocolate, dried sage and rosemary. Vertical nature to this. One for the cellar. Pure merlot. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2030.
About the producer
Petrolo is one of Tuscany’s cult names. It is best known for Galatrona – a Merlot cuvée that is, along with Masseto, often described as the Pétrus of Tuscany.