Antinori CASTELLO DELLA SALA ANTINORI Umbria igt Conte della Vipera 2023

Description

From a careful selection of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes, Conte della Vipera pays homage to the castle’s first owners, and the label features the 13th-century Chapel of San Giovanni, located on the property.

Conte della Vipera is characterized by its fresh and complex aromas, with notes of tropical fruit, citrus, aromatic herbs, and a pleasant minerality. It is an elegant, balanced, and versatile wine, appreciated both when paired with dishes based on fish, shellfish, and fresh cheeses, and when enjoyed on its own as an aperitif.

Castello della Sala is located in Umbria, close to the border with Tuscany, about 18 kilometers from the historic city of Orvieto. The castle, a magnificent medieval manor with 500 hectares of land, 170 of which are vineyards, lies halfway between the Paglia River and the peak of Monte Nibbio.

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

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