Petrolo — Galatrona 2021

Galatrona 2021 from Petrolo, often described as Tuscany's answer to Pomerol. Petrolo is a small family estate in the Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC, located just outside the Chianti Classico zone near Montevarchi. The Bazzocchi family acquired the property in the 1940s; today it is run by Luca Sanjust, third generation of the Bazzocchi-Sanjust family, who took over in 1993 after a career as an artist in Rome. Galatrona, first released in 1994, is the flagship: 100% Merlot from a single vineyard planted between the late 1980s and mid-1990s. The soil – clay with schist, marl, and sandstone at 300 meters elevation – retains the moisture that Merlot needs during hot Tuscan summers. Critics regularly mention Galatrona in the same breath as Masseto, Messorio, L'Apparita, and Redigaffi as one of Italy's finest Merlots. In a second tasting alongside the Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi 2022, the Galatrona performed superbly, especially at the start. So much fruit, so much power. Mouth-coating richness and a wonderful bloody aftertaste. Plus: a surprisingly large amount of tannin. I had given it slightly less air than the Saffredi, which made the Galatrona seem more youthful and powerful at first. With more air and rising temperature, the Saffredi showed its strengths and pulled ahead of the Galatrona. Galatrona confirmed at 97 points – but with VERY much potential. It would not surprise me if it one day reaches 99 points.