2018 Petrolo Torrione Val d’Arno di Sopra Tuscany 750 ml

This is scarcely charted Super Tuscan territory. It’s tough to find bottles of this caliber for below $50. Yet here we have the 2018 Petrolo Torrione Val d’Arno di Sopra, an absolutely stunning bottle boasting layered elegance, beautiful structure, and a 95-point score...  for just $29. 

Any lover of Italian wines knows that’s a value you simply don’t pass up. And we could sing about value all day, but to truly understand it, you just need to pop a bottle of this Petrolo. The nose unfolds with tones of bright cherry, black raspberry, flint, cedar, leather, and wild sage, and as the energetic palate reveals granular tannins, bright fruit, and herbal depth, you’ll see why this wine matched scores with 2018s from Brancaia and Ornellaia that go for twice the price.

“In a word: delicious,” said Vinous, while James Suckling’s 95-point rave called it “layered, extremely polished and beautiful.” Wine Advocate added an impressive 94-point score.

That’s what has always set this gem apart from its marquee-named counterparts: It delivers all the pleasure and high-scoring critical praise vintage after vintage, but for substantially less money.

We recommend taking this Wine Access member's five-star advice: “If folks did not buy this first time around don't miss the next offering. Would buy again in a minute.” And the way members have snapped up past vintages, we wouldn’t wait much longer than that.

East of Chianti Classico, Val d'Arno di Sopra is one of Italy’s newest appellations: It was just designated in 2011, but its winemaking history dates back hundreds of years. For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, its wines were labeled as Chianti (some still are), and many of its producers have sold their grapes to heavy hitters like Antinori. Recently though, the small region has gained attention for its exceptional Super Tuscans—and because the spotlight is relatively new, you get to experience Sangiovese excellence for an amazing price. 

The Petrolo estate, located between the Arezzo plain and the Florentine hills, is a sprawling 672-acre mix of forest and hills. And just eleven percent of that land is planted to Sangiovese and Bordeaux varieties. 

While Petrolo also produces other delicious wines—their Galatrona bottling regularly scores in the high 90s—it’s the Torrione that has our heart, and not just for its value. Consisting of 80% Sangiovese, with added plushness from 15% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s a classic Super Tuscan that bursts from the glass with tons of red fruit and intriguing complexity. Yet after up to 18 months in French oak, it’s structured by the kind of tannins and acidity that promise a decade of evolution in the cellar.