Petrolo Galatrona 2017

 97 pts James Suckling (Jul 2019): 

.This is incredibly fresh for a 2017 with a well-executed, reductive edge; it opens with rosemary, thyme and tea leaves, before moving through blackcurrants, dark cherries, brambleberries, ash, tobacco and citrus. Dense, full-bodied and very chewy, this remains incredulously fine and elegant. Robust and enveloping tannins coat the mouth and mold the wild fruit into a sleek, pliable package. Finally, a string of refreshing acidity lifts the finish long and complex. Drink now, but better after 2026.

 95 pts Monica Larner, Wine Advocate(Aug 2019): 

Despite the hardships of the vintage, Luca Sanjust and the team at Petrolo poured all their focus and attention into creating this wine. The 2017 Galatrona shows a hot-vintage interpretation of Merlot that never feels too ripe or heavy. Instead, this wine ushers forth a remarkable succession of balsam herb-like aromas with Mediterranean shrub, rosemary essence and wild sage. Those garden-fresh aromas accompany the dark blackberry fruit that gives this wine its important center of gravity. The Merlot harvest came two weeks early in 2017, and yields were greatly reduced. I am suggesting a slightly shorter drinking window for the 2017 vintage compared to the cellar-worthy 2016 edition.