Bright, intense golden yellow. Intense, finely drawn nose, shows notes of dried apricots, mango and peach, with some saffron in the background. Voluminos and round on the palate, lots of sweet fruit, apricot and peach, pulls through, long finish in the finish, with notes of light honey. \n \n Producer Information \n Castello della Sala is an Italian winery and one of several estates owned by the major wine producer Marchesi Antinori. The winery and vineyards are located in Umbria, near the border with Tuscany and near the city of Orvieto within the Orvieto Classico appellation. The estate is best known for its flagship Cervaro della Sala white wine from Chardonnay and a small amount of Grechetto, made under the IGT Umbria designation. The winery is named for the 14th Century medieval castle on its grounds. It was constructed in 1350 as a defensive fortification during regional conflicts around the city of Orvieto but, despite its long history, the site wasn't a commercial wine producer until the 20th Century. In 1940 it was bought by Marquis Niccolò Antinori, who owned several properties and wine estates most notably around Tuscany. The property was eventually planted with white varieties to expand on the established red wines under the umbrella of Marchesi Antinori. The castle was restored at the same time as the vineyards experimented with plantings of Grechetto and Chardonnay. In 1985 a brand new cellar and winemaking facilities were completed that included then-state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled fermentation tanks. The estate covers 500 hectares (1240 acres) with 140ha under vine at elevations between 650 and 1480 feet. Castello della Sala has a reputation for both its Orvieto Classico-designated wine, from a blend of traditional varieties including Grechetto and Procanico (Trebbiano) as well as IGT wines from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir among others. The property also makes olive oil from an 8ha olive grove.
