2023 Antinori Castello della Sala Cervaro Della Sala, Umbria

Antinori’s Cervaro della Sala is one of Italy’s most iconic white wines, hailing from the Castello della Sala estate in Umbria. The historic property dates back to the 14th century and has been owned by the Antinori family since 1940. Situated just outside Orvieto at an altitude of around 500 metres, the estate’s vineyards enjoy a temperate climate with cool nights that slow ripening and preserve acidity. The soils, a mix of clay, limestone, and fossil-rich marine deposits, give Chardonnay and Grechetto grapes a distinctive mineral backbone. Cervaro della Sala, first released in 1985, was a groundbreaking wine for Italy, among the first to combine barrel-fermented Chardonnay with native Grechetto for complexity and age-worthiness.

The wine is typically a blend of around 90% Chardonnay and 10% Grechetto. It pours pale gold with green glints and offers aromas of ripe pear, white peach, and citrus blossom, layered with hints of hazelnut, vanilla, and flint from fermentation and ageing in French oak. On the palate, it is full yet finely balanced, with stone fruit, citrus, and delicate tropical notes, underscored by creamy texture, fresh acidity, and a long, mineral-driven finish. The Grechetto component adds structure, savoury nuance, and the ability to age gracefully for over a decade, developing honeyed, toasty complexity.

Cervaro della Sala is an exceptional match for lobster with tarragon butter, pan-seared scallops, roast guinea fowl, or truffle-infused risotto. For a vegetarian pairing, try wild mushroom pasta or aged pecorino.