2020 Antinori (Castello della Sala), Cervaro della Sala, Umbria

Made with Chardonnay and a smaller part Grechetto, the 2020 Cervaro della Sala offer generous and creamy fruit while also maintaining a sharp sense of crispness and verticality. The 2020 vintage saw more hot days than 2019, and the wine has plumped up generously as a result. However, it remains vigorously within the confines of a consistent winemaking regime that seeks freshness and energy. The wine is generous in texture but not exaggerated in its aromas of orchard fruit, quince and toasted almond. Some 200,000 bottles were produced, which is about 25% less compared to the previous vintage (but still more than 2021 that saw frost damage).

Nosing the 2020 Cervaro della Sala is like waking into a French bakery in the early morning, with notes of lemon oil, butter cream, crusty bread, fresh dough and vanilla bean contrasted by a whiff of crushed oyster shell, which may not be on the menu, but still works perfectly here. This glides effortlessly across the palate with the silkiest of textures, steadily gaining in tension, as mineral-drenched orchard fruits give way to sour melon and, finally, pretty inner florals. The 2020 lingers impossibly long and lightly structured, displaying notes of candied citrus enriched by almond custard. I'd love to toss this blend of 92% Chardonnay and 8% Grechetto into a blind tasting of white Burgundy. Beautifully done.