Galatrona is the “Gran-Cru” of Merlot of Petrolo, only made with the grapes from the vineyard of the same name planted between the end of the 80’s and half of the 90’s with low vigor bordeaux clones. The peculiar soil, rich in clay in combination with schist, marl and sandstones, allows the concentration of all the noble components of the grapes, fundamental for the great structure, elegance, balance and persistence wanted for this wine.
“A great wine, beyond the grape varietal it’s made from, must talk the language of the piece of land it came from. Beyond being mainly good, it has to be a classic in its own way, it must hold the stories of the people who made it, thought it and who have lived and worked for generations over that parcel of land” Luca Sanjust

Denomination
Val d’Arno di Sopra DOC – Vigna Galatrona, merlot – Estate produced and bottled.

Certification
Organic

First year of production
1994

Grape variety
Merlot 100%

Production
about 30.000 bottles


Vinegrowing
Since 2004 we have been abandoning traditional farming methods practising natural and sustainable solutions: dry farming and no fertilization, no tillage, total grassing with mulch management, no use of synthetic pesticides. In 2016 the winery obtained official Organic Certification (Petrolo olive oil is organic since the 90’s). To achieve natural balance in the vineyard, plant management is carried out by hand with targeted intervention. Heavier pruning and grape thinning is almost absent in the mature vineyards already balanced. Today extraordinary growth management is only needed in the more challenging years.

Vinification
Manual harvest in crates and further grape selection with sorting table. Natural vinification with native yeasts in cement vats. Manual soft and frequent pumping over. Long skin maceration.

Aging
Spontaneous malo-lactic fermentation in wood. Maturation in Frech oak barrique, a third new, for about 18 – 20 months. Constant batonnage of the fine lees for the first 6 months.

Style
Intense elegant wine with great structure and complexity, lovely balance between acidity, fruit and tannins. A great wine, beyond the grape varietal it is made from, must be expression of the piece of land it came from. Beyond being essentially good, it has to be a classic in its own way.

The Vineyard
Galatrona is the Gran-cru of Merlot made from the vineyard of the same name planted between the end of the 80’s and half of the 90’s with low vigor bordeaux clones in the locality known as Feriale. The vineyard extends for 10 Ha with almost 50.000 plants grown on spurred cordon trellising.

The soil
Loam rich in clay, with shale, marl and sandstones. Altitude 300 m asl. South-eastern exposure. Placed on the south-eastern borders of the Chianti Hills, in the DOC Val d’Arno di Sopra. Clay helps keeping moisture in the soil, of which merlot has higher needs in the hot, dry, Tuscan summers. The combination of stones, shale and clay is among the elements that allow Galatrona to produce an elegant and full bodied wine even in what are considered minor vintages.