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The history in Umbria is a proud one that stretches back to the Etruscans. The Antinori family came to Umbria in the 1950s to produce high-quality white wines. They already had Tuscan Sangiovese estates, but Umbria, and in particular, the area around Orvieto, had been known since the Roman era as the best place to make outstanding white wines. The vines are so old, the local varietal is referred to as "Grechetto", or the little grape that the Greeks brought to Enotria. 

The Antinori family has been committed to the art of winemaking for over six centuries since 1385 when Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member, of the “Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri”, the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild. 

"We have demonstrated, over the years, that in Tuscany and in Umbria there was the possibility of producing excellent wines, widely recognized at an international level, which showed both elegance and finesse while maintaining their original character," says Piero Antinori.

Marchesi Antinori Castello Della Sala 'Cervaro della Sala' has been produced for almost 40 years. The name Cervara is to honor the previous estate owners, the Monaldeschi della Cervara. 

Castello della Sala sits above huge caves carved out of the hills. This huge medieval castle dates from 1350 and is composed of 1482 acres, of which 495 are planted with white varieties and Pinot Noir.  The vineyard is located on gently rolling hillsides, planted on calcareous soil, and rich in fossils. Pinot Noir is grown at the top of the hill.

This castle was acquired during a time when many large wineries from outside the region started to purchase land at low prices. Castello Della Sala was in ruins when it was purchased. However, after years of hard work and the expertise of Renzo Cotarella, this property became one of the emblematic Antinori estates, known to produce some of the world's greatest Italian white wines. 

This beautiful blend of Chardonnay with Grechetto is unique. This was one of the first Italian white wines to undergo malolactic fermentation and also one of the first ones to age in barrels. The result is amazing, a complex and elegant wine that’s meant to age for a long time.

The winery also makes a Muffato Nobile, which is one of the best sweet ones in Italy with incredible aging potential.

A blend of Chardonnay grapes and a small percentage of Grechetto.

Certainly one of the finest Chardonnays produced in all of Italy , and this wine fares well in a blind tasting with top Meursault and Grand Cru Montrachet. If you haven't had a chance to taste this wine,  you're missing one of the top 10 greatest white wines in all of Italy. Year after year, it's just a stunning wine to age.

Classic Burgundian style. On the nose, white chocolate, pink grapefruit, lemon zest and white flowers. Full-bodied, it shows weight, vibrancy and tension, with a silky texture and a salted citrus finish. Amazing balance in this vintage, with lemon peel bitterness in the aftertaste adding an extra dimension. Drink or hold. ~97 James Suckling

Youthfully coy, the 2023 Cervaro della Sala blows off an air-smoky reduction to reveal depths of crushed yellow apples, sesame seeds, pine shavings and nuances of vanilla custard. This is pure elegance in the glass, as silken textures envelope the palate. A bump of residual acidity maintains energy throughout, even as the 2023 tapers off tannic and potent, with a resonance of mineral-infused apricots. This is a superb rendition of Cervaro della Sala.~95 Vinous Media

This is Marchesi Antinori's top white wine, and it comes from the region of Umbria. 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.  ~94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 

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