Castello della Sala stands on a rocky promontory (at 534m a.s.l.)in the Umbrian Apennines not far from the border with Tuscany, about 18km from the historical town of Orvieto. This beautiful Medieval fortress is surrounded by old Etruscan hill towns midway between the Paglia river and the peak of Mt Nibbio.

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.

The range of Castello della Sala wines includes: Cervaro della Sala, Bramito del Cervo, Conte della Vipera, Muffato della Sala, San Giovanni della Sala and Pinot Nero; as well as two Orvieto Classico DOC wines, Campogrande and Casasole.


The Castello della Sala estate also makes goat cheese and extra virgin olive oil (for domestic use) from the 7 hectares of olive groves.

Tuscany is rightly famous for its red wines, so when Marchese Niccolò Antinori (father of Piero Antinori, today chairman of the company) decided to make white wines too, he looked to Umbria and bought the Castello della Sala property with its 29 farms and 483 hectares of fields and woods. Antinori improved the land (which then included 52h of olive groves and vineyards) and restored the 14th century castle, completely renovating some rooms, including the reception room.


The castle was built in 1350 for Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera, whose family had come to Italy with Charlemagne in the 9th century. From the 14th century the members of the family fought for control of Orvieto and the battles for supremacy became so intense that in 1337 Angelo and his three brothers each took a new name and created a feudal clan. The eldest was called della Cervara, another del Cane and the third dell'Aquila; Angelo, who was probably the most warlike, took the name della Vipera.


Angelo Monaldeschi della Vipera's grandson, Gentile, was the first to call himself della Sala. In 1437 he became the dictator of Orvieto for ten years and was constantly at war with the della Cervaras. Later he fought a 12-year battle for rule of the whole region against the Venetian cardinal Pietro Barbo, who was to become Pope Paul II, and his armies: in the end he was defeated and sent to Rumania to lead the Pope's troops.


In 1480 the family finally called a truce when Gentile's son, Pietro Antonio Monaldeschi della Vipera della Sala married his cousin Giovanna Monaldeschi della Cervara. Together they restored the castle which became a symbol of this peace. The small renaissance chapel below the castle gates may be a mark of their gratitude; inside is a large Quattrocento Umbrian school fresco of the Magi in Bethlehem.


The couple lived in the castle until 1518 when Pietro Antonio died and Giovanna gave the property to the Opera del Duomo in Orvieto, a charitable institute run by the Cathedral. The castle remained in their hands until the unification of Italy in 1861, when the state seized all church property. It had a series of owners but little maintenance and restoration work until it was bought by the Antinori in 1940.