You wouldn't immediately associate sunny and landlocked Umbria as a land of Pinot Noir cultivation, but this effort from Castello della Sala presents a convincing argument for this particular pairing of grape and territory. The 2016 Pinot Nero opens to a beautiful ruby color and delivers aromas that are very characteristic of the variety, such as blue flower, wild cherry and orange peel. However, there is a distinctively Mediterranean or Italian signature to this wine with garden herb and rosemary essence. I remember the 2015 vintage being slightly more closed when I tasted that wine on release. This 2016 vintage sings loud straight from the start.

The 2015 Pinot Nero is a fascinating wine that offers a very interesting interpretation of this elegant grape. This is a robust and hearty expression that reflects some of the austerity of Umbria, a landlocked region with charming stone villages. Umbria is inward looking and firm in its convictions. So is this wine. Pretty medicinal and menthol notes appear on the close after wild berry and violets.

Umbria is full of vinous surprises and this is one of the nicest ones. The 2013 Pinot Nero from the beautiful Castello della Sala property is a wine that exudes elegance and finesse. It presents varietal tones of blue flower, pressed violets, wild berry and white chocolate that are expressive and incredibly well executed. The mouthfeel is silky and long, with pretty balsam herb and licorice root aromas. Fine coffee grinds also appear. This wine stands alone in terms of elegance. This wine has been off my radar for a number of years, but I am very happy to return to it now.