Small Group Tuscany Wine Tasting Safaris with Lunch / Dinner
Depart from Florence to eat and drink your way through Chianti, famous for red wines, cuisine, and stunning landscapes. Enjoy a Tuscan lunch or dinner and wine-tasting...
Structure
Drinking window
Latest scored vintage 2019: best 2027 to 2044.
vintage8 yrs25 yrs27 yrs
Critic scores
| Critic | Vintage | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Wine Advocate reviewed 2022 | 2019 | 97/100 |
| James Suckling reviewed 2022 | 2019 | 98/100 |
Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.
In the glass
Aroma: black cherry, blackberry, violet, graphite
Palate: blackberry, polished oak, cedar, iron
Italy's reference 100 percent Merlot away from Bolgheri. Black cherry, blackberry and violet over a graphite-iron mineral spine, with polished oak and firm tannin in support.
What it pairs with
-
Roasted duck breast with cherry reduction
Duck fat meets the wine's polished oak; cherry reduction echoes the dark-fruit core. -
Braised beef short ribs
Long-cooked beef collagen finds a peer in the wine's volume and firm tannin. -
Aged Tuscan pecorino with truffle honey
Truffle aromatics weave into the wine's iron mineral note; pecorino salt sharpens the fruit.
How to serve Galatrona
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Roasted duck breast with cherry reduction, Braised beef short ribs, Aged Tuscan pecorino with truffle honey. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Galatrona was first bottled in 1994 from a 10-hectare blue-clay parcel planted to low-vigour Bordeaux clones in the late 1980s through mid-1990s. Vinified with native yeasts and spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Petrolo classifies it as the 'Grand-Cru' of Merlot from the Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC.
- 1994: First Galatrona vintage
- 2011: Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC formally recognised
Facts
- Producer
- Petrolo · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Merlot (100%)
- Classification
- Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC (Vigna Galatrona)
- Oak
- 18 to 20 months in French oak barriques, around one third new, with batonnage of fine lees in the first six months
- ABV
- 14.5%
- Price
- EUR 130 to 220 at retail
- Drinking window
- 8 to 25 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1994
Frequently asked about Galatrona
What does Galatrona taste like?
On the nose, black cherry, blackberry, violet, graphite. On the palate, blackberry, polished oak, cedar, iron. Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a long finish. Italy's reference 100 percent Merlot away from Bolgheri. Black cherry, blackberry and violet over a graphite-iron mineral spine, with polished oak and firm tannin in support.
When should I drink Galatrona?
Drink 8 to 25 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Galatrona?
Roasted duck breast with cherry reduction is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Braised beef short ribs and Aged Tuscan pecorino with truffle honey. Duck fat meets the wine's polished oak; cherry reduction echoes the dark-fruit core.
What grapes are in Galatrona?
The blend is Merlot (100%). The wine is classified as Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC (Vigna Galatrona).
Tags
Taste it where it is made: tours and tastings in Tuscany
Tuscany Wine Tour : 2 Wineries & San Gimignano from Florence
Join a wine tour of the Tuscan countryside from Florence, tasting up to 7 wines at 2 wineries. Explore the beautiful Chianti landscape and visit one of the most famous...
Tuscany: Truffle Hunting Experience with Tasting
Join an expert truffle hunter and his trained dogs, Maya and Birba, in their secret woods in San Miniato to search for truffles, then enjoy a delicious tasting of fres...