About Castello della Sala
Castello della Sala is an estate owned by the Antinori family, located in the Orvieto hills of Umbria, Italy. It is best known for producing Cervaro della Sala, a white wine based on Chardonnay with a small addition of Grechetto, which has become one of Italy's most recognized white wines. The estate also produces Muffato della Sala, a notable botrytized dessert wine.
Prices are for take away and shipping. The wine bar serves from its own list.
The winery
About Castello della Sala
History
Castello della Sala is a medieval manor about 18 kilometres from Orvieto, not far from the Tuscan border. Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera built it in 1350. His descendants spent years fighting over control of Orvieto, and his grandson Gentile ruled the city as dictator for over a decade from 1437. After Gentile died in 1466 the castle saw calmer years, marked by a marriage that reconciled two branches of the family.
The estate passed to the Antinori family in 1940. In 1979 the young agronomist Renzo Cotarella arrived, aged 25, with the idea of making a white wine able to age well. After several years of trials, the 1985 vintage gave the first Cervaro della Sala.
The land and the vineyards
The estate covers about 600 hectares, with 229 of them planted to vines at altitudes between 220 and 470 metres. The soils are clay and limestone, full of fossil shells. The vines get strong sun and a wide swing between warm days and cool nights, which suits white grapes.
Local varieties such as Procanico and Grechetto grow alongside Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Pinot Blanc and Viognier, with small amounts of Traminer and Riesling. Pinot Noir is the one red grape that does well here.
The wines
Cervaro della Sala is the best known wine, the white that came out of Renzo Cotarella's trials. The range also includes Pinot Nero della Sala, Bramìto della Sala, Conte della Vipera, San Giovanni della Sala, an Orvieto Classico Superiore, and Muffato della Sala, a sweet wine.
Together they show a cellar that treats Umbria as white wine country first, and uses the estate's clay, cool nights and altitude to give the wines freshness and the ability to keep.
Today
Castello della Sala remains part of the Antinori family estates, and the castle still stands at the centre of the property. Renzo Cotarella started the modern wine project here in 1979.
- Founded
- Castle built 1350; Antinori since 1940
- Area
- About 600 hectares
- Vineyards (hectares)
- 229
- Main grapes
- Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Grechetto, Procanico, Pinot Nero
- Owners
- Antinori family
- Winemaker
- Renzo Cotarella started the project in 1979