Castello della Sala - Marchesi Antinori

Castello della Sala, located in Umbria, a short distance from the Tuscan border, about 18 kilometers from the historic city of Orvieto, halfway between the Paglia river and the summit of Monte Nibbio, is a magnificent medieval manor with 600 hectares of land, 200 of which are planted with vineyards. It was built in 1350 by Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera, whose family arrived in Italy in the IX century following Charlemagne’s troops. The estate’s 200 hectares of vineyards are located at an altitude of 220 - 470 meters above sea level and are planted 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 producing white varieties except Pinot Noir, which has found ideal conditions in this terroir to best express its full potential. In the summer of 1979, 25-year-old agronomist Renzo Cotarella joined Castello della Sala. Work began immediately on an ambitious project: to make a white wine able to age and improve over time. He began experimenting with Chardonnay and studying the exciting qualities of Grechetto. His pursuit to make 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 that underwent malolactic fermentation and aging in barriques.