Tenuta di Petrolo — A Leading Tuscan Estate: Galatrona, terroir-driven wines & a strong regional identity

Located in the Valdarno di Sopra DOC region, southeast of Florence, Tenuta di Petrolo is a historic family estate renowned for producing elegant and profound red wines. It is above all thanks to its iconic single-vineyard Merlot Galatrona that Petrolo has become a benchmark in contemporary Tuscany.

Key People

• Luca Sanjust — Owner and president, a central figure in the estate’s qualitative renaissance.
• Bettina Sanjust — Family management and international development.
• Carlo Ferrini — Renowned consulting oenologist who helped shape Petrolo’s style.

Philosophy

The estate is committed to certified organic viticulture, a detailed parcel-by-parcel approach and low-intervention winemaking. Its aim is to express the unique identity of Petrolo’s terroir through precise, elegant and distinctive wines.

History & Milestones

• 12th century: First historical records of Tenuta Petrolo.
• 1940: Acquired by the Sanjust di Teulada family.
• 1980–1990: Vineyard restructuring and qualitative refocusing.
• 1994: First vintage of Galatrona, soon recognized as one of Italy’s greatest Merlots.
• 2000–2020: International acclaim and affirmation of a precise, elegant style.

Terroir & Viticulture

Location

• Region: Tuscany, Valdarno di Sopra DOC (between Chianti Classico and Arezzo).
• Altitude: 250–450 m.
• Soils: clay-limestone and schist with galestro, highly draining.
• Climate: warm yet ventilated, with marked diurnal temperature shifts.

Viticulture

• Certified organic since 2016.
• Manual vineyard work on 31 hectares.
• Hand harvesting with strict selection.
• Parcel-based vinification, indigenous yeasts, minimal filtration.
• Aging in French oak barrels (225 L) for 15 to 18 months for the top cuvées.

Style & Tasting

Aromatic profile: ripe red and black fruits (cherry, blackberry, plum), gentle spices, blond tobacco, floral and mineral nuances depending on the cuvée.
Palate: ample, silky texture with ripe tannins and a long, elegant finish.
Style: combines Mediterranean structure with Burgundian aromatic precision.
Cellaring: 10 to 25 years for top wines.

Signature Wines

• Galatrona — 100% Merlot; the estate’s flagship. Strict parcel selection, aged 15–18 months in French oak; consistently among Italy’s highest-rated wines.
• Torrione — Sangiovese-dominant blend with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. An elegant, terroir-driven expression of the estate.
• Boggina A — Parcel-specific Sangiovese, precisely vinified with measured oak aging.
• Boggina B — Sangiovese aged in amphorae, for a pure and taut expression.
• Boggina C — Sangiovese aged in cement, with a delicate and floral profile.