Petrolo
Bòggina A 2018
Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC
Bòggina “A” is made in amphora as a historical testament to Tuscany; terracotta has always played a key role in the region, and since the early Etruscan period, the art of creating and using vases of terracotta has evolved over the centuries in the small village of Impruneta near the Petrolo estate. The Etruscan connection to the Petrolo estate runs deep, as the Petrolo hill was an Etruscan settlement and fortification.
VINEYARD
Bòggina is the oldest vineyard on the Petrolo estate, and the source of Petrolo’s most prized Sangiovese vines. Planted in 1952 by the grandfather of proprietor Luca Sanjust, it spans 13 acres. It is planted to a density of 5,500 vinese per ha and is cordon spur trained. The yield per plant is notably restricted (max 2.5 lbs per vine plant), allowing a concentration of all the noble components of the grape, fundamental for the full-bodied character of this wine.
WINEMAKING
Grapes are hand-harvested and then further selected on a sorting table. The wine undergoes a two-week open-air fermentation with indigenous yeasts in two terracotta amphorae of 300 and 500 liters. The amphorae are then hermetically sealed, and the wine is left on its skins for eight months. After this eight month period, the skins are removed, and aging continues in amphorae for another six months. The natural porosity of the terracotta allows for a slow ingress of oxygen into the wine, avoiding excess reduction. No sulfites are added during this process, as the extended contact of the wine with the skins establishes a natural level of protection against oxidation.
VINTAGE
2018 was a very favorable year to viticulture and among the best vintages ever with extraordinary results in the bottle for quality and quantity. Cold temperatures arrived a little later than usual, only in February and the rains came abundant in the spring. The temperatures have remained slightly above average since April and for the rest of the summer but without excess. Precipitation was contained in the summer. These conditions have supported a balanced growth and perfect ripening of the grapes sustaining optimal health conditions. Harvesting began with the Trebbiano grapes of Bòggina B in the last days of August and continued with Merlot in the first days of September. We harvested Sangiovese from the second week of September while the Cabernet Sauvignon of Campo Lusso was, as usual, the last grape picked during the first days of October.
Color
Red
Grape Varieties
Sangiovese
Appellation
Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC
Farming
Organic
Alcohol
13.5%
Suggested Retail Price
$75.00
Reviews
"A gorgeous wine"
Vinoud - November 4, 2020 "The 2018 Bòggina A (Bògginanfora) offers a striking expression of Sangiovese. Sweet red cherry, mint, orange peel and cinnamon all grace this silky, mid-weight wine from Petrolo. The translucent beauty of Sangiovese comes through loud and clear. The Bòggina A is 100% Sangiovese fermented and aged in amphora. In my view, 2018 is the first vintage that is truly convincing. What a gorgeous wine."
"Pure and punchy"
Wine Advocate - November 4, 2020 "Bòggina A is Sangiovese that has been aged in amphorae. Judging from the Instagram feed of proprietor Luca Sanjust, quite a few new clay aging vessels have been added to his program this year […] The Bòggina A is pure and punchy in its fruit intensity, with chiseled aromas of wild cherry and dried rose potpourri. The wine offers very soft and subdued tannins, with the natural structure and staying power coming from the crunchy healthiness of the fruit."
"Purity of fruit here is impressive"
James Suckling - November 4, 2020
"The purity of fruit here is impressive with cherries, plums and highlights of grilled meat and wet earth. Some tile, too. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that are pure and polished. Lots of fruit at the end, but not overdone. From organically grown grapes. Fermented and aged in amphora."
"Balanced and long"
Wine Spectator - February 2, 2021
"A full-bodied, fleshy version, this red sports plum, cherry, iron and tobacco flavors. It's dense, even chunky, yet balanced and long on the mineral-streaked finish."
Reviews
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Bòggina B
Toscana IGT
Bòggina B is a little bit of Burgundy with a Tuscan twist. The wine is made with 100% Trebbiano Toscano. The clone of the Valdarno has been known for its quality since the 1300s, when it was regularly sent to the popes in Rome and the courts of Florence. Petrolo has been using Trebbiano grapes for its sweet vinsanto for decades, but owner Luca Sanjust decided that the time had come for a tribute to the great whites of Valdarno’s past. The wine is made under the guidance of one of Burgundy’s greats, Mounir Souma of Lucien Le Moine.
Torrione
Val d'Arno di Sopra
Torrione is made primarily from Sangiovese grapes, both those that come from historic vines of the 1970s and ones more recently planted with high density. The yield per plant is notably restricted, allowing a concentration of all the noble components of the grape, fundamental for the full-bodied character of this wine. The fruit intensity and its black character make it a comparison to Brunello at several times the price.
Bòggina C
Val d'Arno di Sopra
Boggina is bottled from the best barrels of Sangiovese produced each year from the Boggina hill, planted in the 1950’s by Luca’s grandfather. Bòggina is the oldest vineyard on the Petrolo estate, and the source of Petrolo’s most prized Sangiovese vines.
Galatrona
Val d'Arno di Sopra
Galatrona is a cru made entirely from Merlot grapes coming exclusively from a single vineyard planted in the early ‘90s. Year after year, it is recognized critically (the “Le Pin of Tuscany” by Wine Spectator, for example) but, more importantly, understood as being a reflection of its site far more than its grape varietal.
