Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
The violets and blackberries show wonderfully on the nose here, yet this remains subtle and complete with hints of walnuts. Full body, ultra-fine and firm tannins and a beautiful fruit and mineral undertone. Tight and substantial. So layered. Another example of finesse and beauty here with this pure merlot. Better in 2018.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Galatrona pretty much sold out in pre sales before it's official release last year. The quality is outstanding and the Merlot grape offers a heightened sense of sharpness and focus in a slightly cooler vintage such as this. Galatrona exhibits a plush and rich bouquet that is embellished with soft cherry and blackberry nuances followed by spice, sweet tobacco, chocolate and crushed granite. The wine is amply fleshed out and generous. It offers an incredible sense of overall balance and irresistible drinking pleasure.
Rating: 97+ -
Wine & Spirits
Petrolo’s 672-acre estate sprawls over the hills of Chianti Colli Aretini. They planted Galatrona’s 7.4-acres in 1990 and restrict the yields to two pounds per plant. The result, in 2013, is a deeply concentrated wine, its ripe black plum and anise flavors enriched with notes of vanilla and dark spice from 18 months in new French oak barriques. Still fresh three days after opening, the flavors begin to flesh out further, unfolding in a seamless texture, brimming with energy and filling the palate with lush blackberry and plum flavors. Juicy acidity and a streak of graphite hold the flavors aloft. Cellar this for a few years to pour with beef cheek agnolotti.
-
Wine Spectator
Very pure, evoking black currant, blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors, with violet, iron and tobacco accents. There is a fluidity here, too. Sleek and vibrant, this is linear, balanced and long. Non-blind Petrolo Galatrona vertical (November 2021). Best from 2025.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.