Antinori CASTELLO DELLA SALA ANTINORI Umbria igt Cervaro della Sala 2017

Description

Antinori’s Cervaro della Sala 2017 has a bright straw yellow color with greenish reflections. On the nose it presents light toasted notes accompanied by aromas of citrus fruits, tropical fruit and hints of butter. On the palate it is particularly savory and fresh, with characteristics of chamomile, white fruit and flint together with a pleasant persistence and depth of taste. Its youth, although already inviting and pleasant, announces a lot of aging capacity. The wine will evolve optimally in the years to come.”

Castello della Sala is located in Umbria, a short distance from the border with Tuscany, about 18 kilometers from the historic city of Orvieto. Castello della Sala, a magnificent medieval manor with 500 hectares of land, 170 of which are planted with vineyards, is located halfway between the Paglia river and the summit of Monte Nibbio.

HISTORY
The Sala Castle was built in 1350 by Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera whose family arrived in Italy in the 9th century following Charlemagne’s troops. The 1300s marked the beginning of a long series of conflicts between family members to gain control of Orvieto. In 1437 Gentile, nephew of Angelo dei Monaldeschi della Vipera, gained control of the city and reigned as dictator for over a decade. After Gentile’s death in 1466, a period of peace began at the castle, culminating in the reconciliatory marriage of Gentile’s son, Pietro Antonio della Vipera, and his cousin Giovanna Monaldeschi della Cervara.

THE VINEYARDS
The estate’s 170 hectares of vineyards are located at an altitude of 220 – 470 meters above sea level and are cultivated with traditional varieties such as Procanico and Grechetto but also with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sèmillon, Pinot Blanc, Viognier and a small quantity of Traminer and Riesling. The region is exceptional for the production of white varieties with one exception, Pinot Noir, which has found in this terroir the ideal conditions to best express its potential. The vines grow in clay and limestone soils, rich in fossil shells, and are well exposed to sunrise with an excellent temperature range between day and night.

1985 – CERVARO DELLA SALA
In the summer of 1979, Renzo Cotarella, a 25-year-old agronomist, joined Castello della Sala. Work immediately began on an ambitious project: to create a white wine capable of aging and improving over time. He began experimenting with Chardonnay and studying the interesting qualities of Grechetto, a variety capable of giving the wine flavors and aromas characteristic of the territory and typicality, that is, all the distinctive traits of the varietal and geographical origin of the wine. His quest to produce a wine that stood out for its character and personality became an obsession. After several disappointing years of trial and error, the 1985 vintage produced the first true Cervaro della Sala: one of the first Italian wines to undergo malolactic fermentation and barrique aging.