UMBRIA IGT CERVARO DELLA SALA "CASTELLO DELLA SALA" 2018 - ANTINORI

Appellation : Umbria IGT

Vintage : 2018

Alcohol : 12.5%

Region : Umbria (Italy)

Format : 0.75 l

Grapes : 100% Pinot Noir

Climate

2018 was basically a cool year, characterized by light rainfall capable of promoting the correct development of the vine's vegetative cycle. The month of January was mild and with little rainfall, while the end of February and the beginning of March were characterized by lower than average temperatures and snowfalls, followed by higher than normal rainfalls which helped to rebalance the soil's water reserves. The fairly regular rains at the end of spring slightly slowed down the development phase of the berry. The basically warm climate, characterized by excellent temperature ranges from July to the entire month of August, favored the slow and regular ripening. The harvest of the Chardonnay for Cervaro della Sala began in the third ten days of August with healthy, ripe grapes characterized by excellent freshness and an excellent aromatic profile, while that of the Grechetto took place after a fortnight.

Vinification

The vinification cellar is built to take full advantage of the principle of gravity and allows the management of the grapes and their maceration without them undergoing mechanical interventions deriving from pumping action on them. The grape harvest is carried out in the very early hours of the morning in order to bring intact fruits to the cellar and not stressed by the highest temperatures of the day. The musts, coming from skin maceration of the grapes at 10 °C for about four hours, are transferred by gravity to settling tanks where they clarify before being transferred to barriques. It is here that the alcoholic fermentation takes place followed by the malolactic one. Usually after five months the Chardonnay is ready to be transferred back to steel to join with the Grechetto, which is instead vinified separately and in the "absence" of wood. Subsequently, the Cervaro della Sala ages for a few months in the bottle in the historic cellars of the Castello della Sala before being released on the market.

Historical data

The name Cervaro derives from the noble family that owned the Castello della Sala during the 14th century: the Monaldeschi della Cervara. Chardonnay grapes combined with a small part of Grechetto for a wine designed to refine over time and represent the elegance and complexity of a unique place. Cervaro della Sala was one of the first Italian wines to undergo malolactic fermentation and aging in barrique with the first vintage in 1985.

Tasting notes

Cervaro 2018 has a bright straw yellow color with some greenish hues. The nose reveals slightly toasted notes accompanied by aromas of citrus and exotic fruits and very light buttery sensations. On the palate it expresses excellent sapidity and freshness, with hints of chamomile, white fruit and flint followed by a pleasant persistence and depth of taste. Its youth, already pleasant and inviting, reveals the great potential for refinement.