CASTELLO DELLA SALA SAN GIOVANNI ORVIETO CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC Region: Umbria, Italy Grape Variety: 50% Grechetto, 25% Procanico, 25% Pinot Bianco/Viognier Vintage: 2014 Alcohol: 12.5% Closure: Cork CASTELLO DELLA SALA SAN GIOVANNI ORVIETO CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC Producer Niccolò Antinori bought the fourteenth-century Castello della Sala in 1940, to provide a source of white wines to match the excellence of his Tuscan reds. With the introduction of Cervaro della Sala in 1987, his dream was fully realised: this is one of Italy’s defining whites, as influential and sought after as Tignanello. The vineyards are planted with a mixture of traditional Italian and international varieties, offering a range of wines from the traditional Orvieto to the mould-breaking IGTs. Vineyard The growing seasonal was an atypical one: a July with sunny - but not particularly warm - days together with nights with temperatures generally below 18° C (64° F) was followed, in contrast, Fortunately, the well developed leaf canopy along with a reasonable supply of ground water , helped to avoid such phenomenon as grape burn or shriveling of the berries. The continuation of high temperatures required great timeliness in picking operations which started with Grechetto in early September and ended with Procanico. Winemaking The yield per hectare of the grapes utilized for this wine was a particularly low one, seven tons per hectare. The grapes, picked with sugar levels slightly higher than the average, were rapidly brought to the cellars and the different varieties fermented separately. In order to achieve wines with good levels of extract and aroma, a part of the must was given a six hour period of skin contact at a temperature of 10° C (50° F). After the first rackings, the wine - in order increase its structure, elegance, and mineral character - remained on its lees for several months, up until the moment of the final blending, at 12.5° of alcohol, and successive bottling. Tasting Notes The wine is brilliant in color with greenish highlights. The nose expresses fruity notes, particularly peach, pineapple, and citrus fruit. The structure and the acidity fuse in perfect balance with a savory and vibrant aftertaste of fine length and persistence.