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Castello Della Sala (Antinori) Chardonnay Cervaro Della Sala 2021 750ml
Case of 12
OUT OF STOCKPre-arrival
Sample image only.Please see Item description for product Information. When ordering, the item shipped will match the product listing if there are any discrepancies. Do not order solely on the label if you feel it does not match product description.
SKU 957969
$1,199.16/case
$99.93/bottle
Tariffs included
Out of stock
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This is very aromatic and lifted with mineral, nougat, floral, and lightly cooked apples. Some flint and matchstick. Medium- to full-bodied with a fine phenolic and acid backbone that energizes the wine. Complex aftertaste with subtle fruit and pastry at the end. This will age beautifully but hard not to drink now.
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
Country
Italy
There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.
Region
Umbria
Despite being one of Italy's smallest wine regions, the central Italian region of Umbria is a vitally important one, and home to many of the country's finest and most historic wines and wineries. The reputation of Umbrian wines may have suffered in the 1970s, along with the produce of much of the rest of the country, but the 1980s and 1990s saw significant efforts made by vintners when it came to improving their produce and overall image. By consulting international oenologists, the wineries of Umbria were able to update their traditional techniques, and produce considerably finer wines from their Sangiovese grapes, as well as from imported varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Indeed, the barrel fermented white wines of Umbria, now made with a blend of Chardonnay and Grechetto varietal grapes, has gone on to be something of a flagship product for the region, and is regarded as one of the best and most characterful white wines in Italy.
JS97pts
James Suckling
This is very aromatic and lifted with mineral, nougat, floral, and lightly cooked apples. Some flint and matchstick. Medium- to full-bodied with a fine phenolic and acid backbone that energizes the wine. Complex aftertaste with subtle fruit and pastry at the end. This will age beautifully but hard not to drink now.
WA96pts
Wine Advocate
This wine is mostly Chardonnay with about 7% Grechetto. The presence of the Grechetto has declined quite a bit over the past couple of vintages. Given these tweaks to the winemaking formula, the 2021 Cervaro della Sala promises an exceptionally crisp and linear presentation with salty mineral tones, lots of stone fruit and tart apple. No malolactic fermentation or oak is used on the Umbrian grape that always adds a hint of rusticity and Umbrian authenticity. However, the Chardonnay is fermented in oak and aged in both new and used barrel. In light of climate change, work is being completed to reduce vineyard density, with new plantings going in at 3,500 vines per hectare, down from 5,500 vines per hectare like we saw in the past.
VM95pts
Vinous Media
The 2021 Cervaro della Sala comes to life in the glass with crushed stones, oyster shells and damp earth evolving into lemon oil, green apple and hints of chamomile. This is pure elegance, with silky, verging on creamy textures and brilliant acidity. A salty staining of minerality adds tremendous depth to baked apple and spice notes. It finishes crunchy and long with a citrus tinge as touches of custard and nectarine slowly fade. This is a dramatic Cervaro della Sala that possesses amazing balance. It will be fascinating to watch it mature over the coming years.
WS93pts
Wine Spectator
Lithe and graceful, this balanced, medium-bodied white offers concentrated notes of glazed apple, grilled macadamia nut, pastry cream and white blossoms. Shows a streak of salinity, which works in conjunction with lemon peel–infused acidity to sculpt and focus this through to the persistent, spiced finish. Chardonnay and Grechetto. Drink now through 2031. 2,000 cases imported.
Winery Notes
The name Cervaro comes from the noble family that owned Castello della Sala during the 14th century, Monaldeschi della Cervara. A blend of Chardonnay grapes and a small quantity of Grechetto make a wine that can age over time and represent the elegance and complexity of this unique estate. Cervaro della Sala is one of the first Italian white wines to have malolactic fermentation and aging take place in barriques. The first vintage of Cervaro to be produced was the 1985 vintage.
