[ Home > Antinori Castello della Sala Chardonnay ]
The Castello della Sala property covers a total surface area of 500 hectares today, of which 160 are planted with vineyards 200-400m a.s.l. on clayey soil of sedimentary and volcanic origin, rich in Pliocene fossils. About 8 hectares are covered with olives from which we make extra virgin olive oil for domestic use. The vineyards of Castello della Sala were once planted with a mixture of traditional grape varieties, mainly Procanico and Grechetto, which are still grown on the estate today. Procanico is a clone of Umbrian Trebbiano, grown around Orvieto since time immemorial. It differs greatly from the Tuscan Trebbiano grape in that the vine is less productive, the bunches less compact, and the skin is yellowy-pink instead of green. Grechetto is an Umbrian variety with thick, dark yellow skin, and is very acidic, low-yielding and remarkably tannic: the wines made from this variety are mellow with a spicy, grassy aroma of freshly-mown hay, well-structured and stylish with good ageing potential. The non-traditional varieties grown here include several Chardonnay clones (40 hectares at 230-340m a.s.l.), 35 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, 4.5 hectares of Pinot Nero planted in 1985 and a further 2.5 hectares planted on terraces in 1994, between 340 and 460m a.s.l. |
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