Castello della Sala - 'Cervaro della Sala' - Chardonnay
94 points - The Wine Advocate
97 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
Castello della Sala - 'Cervaro della Sala' - Chardonnay
94 points - The Wine Advocate
97 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
Regular price€91.20
€91.20
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This is Marchesi Antinori's top white wine, and it comes from the region of Umbria. The Castello della Sala 2022 Cervaro della Sala is based on Chardonnay and has a small part of the local grape Grechetto in the blend.
The nose opens to a reductive note of flint or matchstick, but it lifts quickly to reveal soft orchard fruit, white peach and minty apple. There are delicately applied toasted notes with a hint of pecan or macadamia nut.
To finish, you also get salty mineral notes that underline the extremely vertical or lifted personality of the bouquet. Renzo Cotarella tells me that tweaks to winemaking in recent years have attempted "to slim down the wine and not make it any bigger."
This was a hot vintage, but Cervaro della Sala remains true to its leaner and meaner blueprint. However, given its accessible personality, we could expect a shorter drinking window for the 2022s.
This wine is mostly Chardonnay with about 7% Grechetto. The presence of the Grechetto has declined quite a bit over the past couple of vintages. Given these tweaks to the winemaking formula, the 2021 Cervaro della Sala promises an exceptionally crisp and linear presentation with salty mineral tones, lots of stone fruit and tart apples.
No malolactic fermentation or oak is used on the Umbrian grape which always adds a hint of rusticity and Umbrian authenticity. However, the Chardonnay is fermented in oak and aged in both new and used barrels.
Made with Chardonnay and a smaller part of Grechetto, the 2020 Cervaro della Sala offers generous and creamy fruit while also maintaining a sharp sense of crispness and verticality.
The 2020 vintage saw more hot days than 2019, and the wine has plumped up generously as a result. However, it remains vigorously within the confines of a consistent winemaking regime that seeks freshness and energy. The wine is generous in texture but not exaggerated in its aromas of orchard fruit, quince and toasted almond.
The Castello della Sala 2019 Cervaro della Sala relies on a time-honoured formula in which the Grechetto grape adds vertical intensity and freshness and Chardonnay gives structure and sophistication.
Indeed, Grechetto (with late-harvest clones) never goes above 10% of the blend, and no malolactic fermentation is performed on that variety in order to maintain its tonic and fresh personality. This stunning edition shows orchard fruit, honey and flinty notes.
The Chardonnay ferments in neutral barrique from September to February and fine-grained wood is prioritized to render a reductive winemaking technique to further preserve aromatic intensity. This mid-weight and age-worthy white is redolent of Golden Delicious apples, acacia flowers and tropical fruit.
Compared to the 2017 vintage which shows a more accessible and full-bodied style, the 2018 Cervaro della Sala is a classic edition—it's about as classic as I have ever tasted this landmark white from Umbria to be.
This cooler vintage prizes finesse and elegance and those traits are matched by efforts in the winery to accomplish that same goal. On many levels, the 2018 vintage opens a new chapter for Cervaro della Sala, with a stronger emphasis on preserved lemon, crisp pear and crushed mineral. The wine offers beautiful freshness and linearity.
I must also mention that this vintage is released while the fruit is still a bit closed or shy. That slightly reductive approach bodes very well for the wine's future evolution.
Type: |
White |
Country: |
Italy |
Region: |
Umbria |
Appellation: |
Umbria IGT |
Producer: |
Marchesi Antinori |
Grapes/Blend: |
Chardonnay |
Serving temp: |
10° - 12° C |
ABV: |
13% |
Pairing Sugesstions: |
Shellfish, Crab, Lobster, Roast Chicken, Cream, Salads, Brie, Goat Cheese, Camembert, Truffle-Based Dishes, Creme Brulee |
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