The gentle hills and evocative medieval villages lead us to discover crops and traditions dating back to ancient times.
The vine, travelling through time among Etruscans, Romans, and Monastic Orders to reach us today, bears witness to a terroir favourable to wine production. This jewel set in central Italy is called Umbria, crossed by numerous tributaries, embraced by the Apennines and kissed by the sun, "the green heart of Italy", boasting vegetation as far as the eye can see.
Il Grechetto del Castello della Sala
The greenery takes root in clay-limestone soils that host tuff and volcanic residues, nourished by a mild climate with significant temperature swings. The oldest winemaking traditions reside in Orvieto, and it is just a few kilometres from the historic beauty of this city that the fortress of Castello della Sala stands. Spanning 500 hectares, naturally immersed in greenery, the estate dedicates 140 hectares to vineyards, distributed between 200 and 450 metres above sea level. Within this setting, which preserves a clay terroir of volcanic origin, Grechetto thrives – of uncertain origins, yet given the excellence it has achieved in Umbria, it is now considered indigenous.
Grechetto, dal vitigno al bicchiere
The Grechetto di Orvieto has won the entire region over, and has often been blended with Grechetto di Todi, which is why the two are frequently confused. In-depth DNA studies have identified a relationship between Pignoletto dei Colli Bolognesi, an eclectic grape often used in sparkling wines, and Grechetto di Todi. Ribolla Riminese is also very closely related to Grechetto di Todi, just as Greco di Tufo is to Grechetto di Orvieto. In any case, both are clones of Grechetto (g109 and g5 respectively), sharing similar characteristics: the bunch is small to medium in size, as is the berry – oval, with a firm yellowish skin. Ripening occurs in late September. Yields are abundant but never consistent. The white wines, with their warm golden hue, intense fruity aromas, and a balance between savouriness and softness, between structure and aromatic persistence, are characteristic of Grechetto.
La prima annata del Cervaro della Sala
It was Cotarella who recognised the great potential of this grape, producing in the 1980s a range of innovative white wines, among them Cervaro della Sala and Muffato della Sala, obtained from botrytised grapes with the addition of Grechetto itself. After the first vintages, which were not particularly noteworthy, Cervaro della Sala was born in 1985: a minimum of 80% Chardonnay, a maximum of 20% Grechetto, and 100% expression of the territory. Careful harvesting is the guiding principle for bringing sound raw material into the cellar; alcoholic fermentation is followed by malolactic fermentation, which determines the time the Chardonnay spends in French oak barriques. The Grechetto undergoes a parallel vinification and is blended with the Chardonnay before bottling. The wine rests in bottle for a year or more. This wine, destined to evolve over time, is entrusted to the medieval cellars of the Castello.
Degustiamo il Cervaro della Sala
A label boasting numerous accolades and awards, in the 2014 vintage it presents itself in a golden yellow colour. On the nose, it ranges from delicate toasty aromas and vanilla notes imparted by the barrique, to hints of white flowers. On the palate, it proves elegant as a nobleman, with an imposing structure and a persistence that carries toasty and citrus notes through to the finish.
Among the many tastings, we take you back to cervaro della sala 2005, a white wine with much-appreciated characteristics.
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