Petrolo
Bòggina A 2016
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 liters each. The amphorae are then hermetically sealed, and the wine is left on its skins for six months. After this six 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.
TASTING NOTE
Extremely refined and beautiful with tight density of fruit and polished, linear tannins. Full to medium body and a bright, beautiful finish. Iron and stones, too.
-James Suckling
Color
Red
Grape Varieties
Sangiovese
Appellation
Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC
Farming
Organic
Alcohol
13%
Suggested Retail Price
$75.00
Reviews
Vinous - March 1, 2019 "The 2016 Bòggina A is 100% Sangiovese done in amphora. Crushed flowers, dried rose petals, mint, sweet tobacco and savory herbs give the wine much of its distinctive, pungent personality. Time in the glass helps soften some of the more angular contours that are present initially, while also allowing the aromatics to fully emerge."
Wine & Spirits - March 18, 2019 "Bòggina is an 11-acre plot of sangiovese vines first planted in 1952. Sanjust began producing a pure sangiovese from the vineyard in 2006, and five years later began vinifying a small portion of the fruit in terra-cotta amphorae. Production of Bòggina A (A is for “amphora”) is now up to 5,000 bottles, about equal to Bòggina C (C for “classic,” also recommended here). Bòggina A macerates on the skins in sealed amphorae for about six months, and remains in the vessels for another six months after the skins have been removed, absorbing small amounts of oxygen without any wood influence. The result is a wine with exuberant scents of crushed rose petals and flavors of freshly squeezed red cherries woven together by brisk acidity, with a clarity of fruit that transcends the Bòggina C bottling. Tiny, pebbly tannins give a fine rasp to the flavors, and notes of sun-ripened tomatoes develop as the wine sits in the glass. It’s a fascinating and delicious wine for anyone who loves pure sangiovese."
"beautifully ethereal"
Wine Advocate - June 5, 2019 "The wine is beautifully ethereal, delicate and fragile, showing focused purity and intensity at the same time. In a nutshell, this wine embraces all the best characteristic of this iconic vintage, especially in terms of the crystalline authenticity of its varietal aromas."
Reviews
More on Petrolo Bòggina A 2016
Petrolo’s Luca Sanjust on the 2016 Vintage
January 8, 2019 - Enjoy this informative video featuring Petrolo's Luca Sanjust's insights and commentary on the 2016 vintage.
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.