Cervaro della Sala
The wine
The name Cervaro comes from the noble family that owned Castello della Sala during the 14th century, Monaldeschi della Cervara. Cervaro is a blend of Chardonnay grapes and Grechetto and is one of the first Italian white wines to have malolactic fermentation and aging take place in barriques.
Vinification
The name Cervaro comes from the noble family that owned Castello della Sala during the 14th century, Monaldeschi della Cervara.
The estate’s 229 hectares (566 acres) of vineyards are located at an altitude of 220 – 470 meters above sea level (722-1542 feet). The vines grow in clay and calcareous based soils, rich in fossil shells, and they are well exposed to the rising of the sun with an excellent difference of temperature between day and night.
Winemaking
A blend of Chardonnay grapes and a small quantity of Grechetto make a wine that can age over time and represent the elegance and complexity of this unique estate. Cervaro della Sala is one of the first Italian white wines to have malolactic fermentation and aging take place in barriques.
In 1985, Renzo Cotarella, who was chief enologist at Castello della Sala at that time, made the first vintage of Cervaro della Sala.
The vinification cellar was designed to take full advantage of gravity flow; a concept that allows us to handle the harvested berries and fermentation processes as gently as possible without the use of mechanical pumps. The grapes are harvested in the early morning hours to preserve the purity of the fruit and protect it from elevated daytime temperatures. The must, which has undergone maceration on the skins, is transferred by gravity flow into tanks for decantation and clarification, then transferred into barriques where alcoholic fermentation takes place followed by partial malolactic fermentation. The Chardonnay is transferred back into stainless steel vats and blended with Grechetto, which was fermented separately and did not age in oak. Afterwards, Cervaro della Sala aged in the bottle for several months in Castello della Sala’s historic cellars before release.
Historical Data
Castello della Sala was built in 1350 by Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera whose family arrived in Italy in the IX century following Charlemagne’s troops. The 1300’s marked the beginning of a long series of conflicts between family members in order to gain control over Orvieto. In 1437 Gentile, grandson of Angelo dei Monaldeschi della Vipera, gained control of the city and reigned as dictator for over a decade. Following Gentile’s death in 1466, a peaceful period started at the castle, culminating with the reconciliatory marriage of Gentile’s son, Pietro Antonio della Vipera, and his cousin Giovanna Monaldeschi della Cervara. In 1940 Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero’s father, bought the estate fully aware of the fact that the area held great potential for producing fine white wines. After years of neglect, Castello della Sala moves towards a period of rebirth.
Tasting Notes
The nose presents slight smoky notes of cedar and flint followed by floral hints of Spanish broom and mimosa blossoms. The palate is vibrant, fresh characterized by notes of vanilla, lemon butter and small pastries. Cervaro della Sala has outstanding aging potential but can be enjoyed immediately.
The name Cervaro comes from the noble family that owned Castello della Sala during the 14th century, Monaldeschi della Cervara. Cervaro is a blend of Chardonnay grapes and Grechetto and is one of the first Italian white wines to have malolactic fermentation and aging take place in barriques.
The name Cervaro comes from the noble family that owned Castello della Sala during the 14th century, Monaldeschi della Cervara.
The estate’s 229 hectares (566 acres) of vineyards are located at an altitude of 220 – 470 meters above sea level (722-1542 feet). The vines grow in clay and calcareous based soils, rich in fossil shells, and they are well exposed to the rising of the sun with an excellent difference of temperature between day and night.
A blend of Chardonnay grapes and a small quantity of Grechetto make a wine that can age over time and represent the elegance and complexity of this unique estate. Cervaro della Sala is one of the first Italian white wines to have malolactic fermentation and aging take place in barriques.
In 1985, Renzo Cotarella, who was chief enologist at Castello della Sala at that time, made the first vintage of Cervaro della Sala.
The vinification cellar was designed to take full advantage of gravity flow; a concept that allows us to handle the harvested berries and fermentation processes as gently as possible without the use of mechanical pumps. The grapes are harvested in the early morning hours to preserve the purity of the fruit and protect it from elevated daytime temperatures. The must, which has undergone maceration on the skins, is transferred by gravity flow into tanks for decantation and clarification, then transferred into barriques where alcoholic fermentation takes place followed by partial malolactic fermentation. The Chardonnay is transferred back into stainless steel vats and blended with Grechetto, which was fermented separately and did not age in oak. Afterwards, Cervaro della Sala aged in the bottle for several months in Castello della Sala’s historic cellars before release.
Castello della Sala was built in 1350 by Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera whose family arrived in Italy in the IX century following Charlemagne’s troops. The 1300’s marked the beginning of a long series of conflicts between family members in order to gain control over Orvieto. In 1437 Gentile, grandson of Angelo dei Monaldeschi della Vipera, gained control of the city and reigned as dictator for over a decade. Following Gentile’s death in 1466, a peaceful period started at the castle, culminating with the reconciliatory marriage of Gentile’s son, Pietro Antonio della Vipera, and his cousin Giovanna Monaldeschi della Cervara. In 1940 Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero’s father, bought the estate fully aware of the fact that the area held great potential for producing fine white wines. After years of neglect, Castello della Sala moves towards a period of rebirth.
The nose presents slight smoky notes of cedar and flint followed by floral hints of Spanish broom and mimosa blossoms. The palate is vibrant, fresh characterized by notes of vanilla, lemon butter and small pastries. Cervaro della Sala has outstanding aging potential but can be enjoyed immediately.
Castello della Sala
Castello della Sala is located in Umbria, a white wine territory, where time stands still.
The castello was built in 1350 by Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera whose family arrived in Italy in the IX century following Charlemagne’s troops.
