Really 'Super' Tuscans: Personal Faves from Petrolo, Pre-Arrival

To all Best Winers,

Let me tell you about Petrolo.

It’s one of Tuscany’s best estates. But it’s not a Chianti, and it’s not a Brunello and it’s not a Vino Nobile.

It’s ‘just’ a Tuscan. But that’s like saying LeBron James is ‘just’ a basketball player.

Proprietor Luca Sanjust took a chance when he purchased this property located pretty much out in the middle of the Tuscan nowhere, way east of Chianti Classico.

Without the wine being one of those ‘technical’ appellations, it would have to stand on its own merits to get people to ‘bite’.

The first vintage of this wine that I tasted, the 1997, literally blew me away. It was one of those goosebump wines (I’m getting them as I write this!) that was so harmonious, so complete and so ridiculously under-priced. I bought and sold (and drank) a big chunk of it. 100% pure Sangiovese at its friggin’ finest.

After that it was all uphill, more great wines followed, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007, they all sent shivers up my spine at a price where I could actually afford to drink the stuff!

Now comes the 2010, which, word on the street is, could be the finest Torrione yet. I can barely control myself. If this wine is anywhere near the quality of its top predecessors you and I are both in for quite the Sangiovese thrill ride. At $25 a bottle on pre-arrival you’re getting one of the real ‘gifts’ for Tuscany, trust me on this one.

And if you don’t trust me, you can trust the Wine Advocate, who threw a monster 93 point score at the 2010, calling it, “…exception(al) and a very reasonable value.”

James Suckling said the 2010 Torrione is, “Always beautiful. Better after 2014 but why wait?”

I’m game!

We’re also featuring a few cases of Luca’s pride and joy, his 100% Merlot called Galatrona. For those of you who are not familiar with this wine, let’s just say that outside of Pomerol and St. Emilion in Bordeaux, Merlot reaches no higher heights than in Tuscany. The soils here are perfect for world-class Merlot, which this wine most certainly is.

Put this 2010 Galatrona in a blind tasting with Bordeaux’s costing 2-3 times as much and prepare to be amazed. This wine is an absolute shocker.

Wine Advocate considers the 2010 the best version yet of this Tuscan cult classic. Big 96 points with Monica Larner writing, “…A massive expression of Merlot, the 2010 Galatrona is heaven-sent. The layers are infinite here spanning dark fruit, spice and chocolate. I fall in love with this wine year after year.”

Last, but certainly not least, there’s a few bottles kicking around of Petrolo’s brand new project, called Boggina. This is a single vineyard 100% Sangiovese from a very special site, again, kind of out in the middle of nowhere that has been consistently producing terrific wine since the 1700’s. Word!

I haven’t tried it yet but how bad could a single vineyard Sangio from one of the kings, in a pandering, fleshy vintage possibly be?

Galloni wrote, “The 2011 Boggina (Sangiovese) jumps from the glass with an enticing melange of dark raspberries, pomegranates, licorice, menthol, smoke and melted road tar. This powerful, structured Sangiovese finishes with substantial depth. At the same time, there is no excess weight or heaviness. The style is decidedly full-bodied and brooding…93 points”

Nice, right? Can’t wait to have a shot at that one.

Check out our interview with winemaker Stefano Guidi from our visit to the Vinitaly wine show back in 2009…

Standard Pre-Arrival terms apply, minimum order of 3 bottles per item, expected delivery, Winter, 2014.

Kyle Meyer and Tristen Beamon, Proprietors, BestWinesOnline.com