Introduction
Situated in the picturesque landscape of Napa Valley, California, Castello di Amorosa winery is a unique blend of history, beauty, and enology. A structure that elegantly juxtaposes Old World charm with New World wine culture, the Castello has become one of the top destinations for wine enthusiasts, history buffs, and tourists from around the globe. This sprawling castle winery, perched atop a sun-kissed hill, is a spectacle in stone and vines, well worth exploring.
History
The Castello di Amorosa, translating to “Castle of Love” in Italian, is the brainchild of Dario Sattui, a fourth-generation winemaker and the great-grandson of Vittorio Sattui, who founded the acclaimed V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena in 1885. However, the idea for Castello di Amorosa didn’t take root until much later, around the turn of the 21st century.
Inspired by a profound appreciation for Italian architecture and a love for Italian wine, Sattui began building the Castello in 1994. His vision was to construct an authentic 13th-century Tuscan-style castle in the heart of Napa Valley, imbued with the soul of Italian winemaking tradition.
Construction took over 15 years, employing old world crafting techniques and importing materials from Europe to ensure authenticity. Over 200 containers of handmade antique bricks and tiles were shipped from Europe to give the castle a genuine historical feel. The castle officially opened to the public in 2007.
The Castle Architecture
The resulting structure is an architectural masterpiece that spans 121,000 square feet. The Castello houses 107 rooms, including a grand banquet hall, secret passageways, a torture chamber, a chapel, and even a drawbridge. The castle’s lower levels include an elaborate labyrinth of cellars and caves where wines age to perfection in a cool, controlled environment.
The Vineyard
The vineyard surrounding the Castello spans over 171 acres, though only 30 acres are cultivated for grapevines. The vineyard uses sustainable farming practices to nurture a variety of grapes that are ideally suited to the local climate and soil.
The majority of the vineyard is dedicated to growing red grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Primitivo. The white grape varieties include Gewürztraminer and Muscat Canelli, which are known for their rich, aromatic profiles.
One of the unique aspects of Castello di Amorosa’s viticulture practice is their dedication to Italian grape varieties. While many Napa Valley vineyards focus on the classic French varietals, Castello cultivates Italian varieties like Sangiovese, Primitivo, and Moscato, fostering a connection to Sattui’s Italian heritage.
Winemaking
Castello di Amorosa’s winemaking combines centuries-old Italian traditions with modern techniques. Following a meticulous selection process, the handpicked grapes are fermented in a mix of stainless steel tanks and open-top fermenters, which allow for careful temperature control and extraction of colors and flavors.
After fermentation, the wines are aged in an impressive cellar, containing over 1,000 barrels made from a variety of European oaks. This attention to detail in barrel selection reflects the quality and complexity of Castello wines.
The winery produces a range of wine styles, from robust, flavorful reds and crisp, aromatic whites to delectable dessert wines. They also produce a range of reserve wines and single-vineyard selections.
Notoriety and Accolades
Over the years, Castello di Amorosa has been recognized for its outstanding wines and exceptional wine tourism experience. They have received numerous awards and honors from prestigious institutions within the wine industry.
Their wines, particularly the Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, have received high ratings from critics and have been awarded in several wine competitions. The Il Barone, their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and La Castellana, a Super Tuscan-style blend, are particularly renowned. The Late Harvest Gewürztraminer, a delectable dessert wine, is another crowd favorite and has earned critical acclaim.
The unique and authentic experience Castello di Amorosa provides for its visitors has been acknowledged by leading travel and lifestyle publications. The opulent medieval architecture, coupled with wine tasting tours and food pairings, provides an unforgettable journey through history and viticulture. They have been named ‘Best Tasting Room’ by the North Bay Bohemian and their Wine Club, which offers exclusive wines and events to members, is also highly rated.
Moreover, Castello di Amorosa has often been the venue of choice for special events, galas, and wine release parties, adding to its reputation as an iconic Napa Valley destination.
Conclusion
While there are many remarkable wineries in Napa Valley, Castello di Amorosa stands apart in its commitment to creating an authentic, immersive Italian wine experience. From its careful viticulture and winemaking practices to the attention to detail in the castle’s architecture, Castello di Amorosa seamlessly melds history, culture, and oenology.
Whether you’re a seasoned wine connoisseur or a casual visitor, Castello di Amorosa offers an enchanting escape. Here, you can sip finely crafted wines, marvel at the historical architecture, and indulge in the breathtaking views of Napa Valley – a testament to Dario Sattui’s vision and a homage to the time-honored tradition of winemaking.
Add Review
Read More Reviews
Malika Kanatbek
in the last weekWe visited on Sunday, and while the castle itself looks beautiful, our experience was really disappointing. They have a strict “no strollers” policy, so we had to leave ours at the entrance — and it got stolen. That completely ruined the visit for us. If you’re coming with kids, be very careful. The overall vibe is very touristy. We’re from the Bay Area and have memberships at other wineries where the service is always warm and welcoming, but here it was the opposite. The man pouring wines (an older Italian gentleman) was extremely rude on every request — it honestly felt like being scolded by an angry grandfather instead of being hosted. The cheese plate was also a big letdown — very minimal and not worth it. The only bright spot was the grape juice served to our child, which was delicious and the one thing we actually purchased. Unfortunately, this visit confirmed for me that highly touristic wineries just aren’t worth it. We won’t be coming back.
Pablo Uriel Cruz Malaver
2 weeks agoI celebrated my 28th birthday with my husband and friends and everything was incredible! A place where you will not only find history, it is also a place where you can create new stories and beautiful moments with your loved ones. I do not have enough time to describe the beautiful experience I had, the staff was super friendly, they explain where each wine you are about to drink comes from. I was served by: Brandon E and he was very kind, I will definitely return to continue making memories. Thank you very much, and enjoy the trip! IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT!!
Caleb Aguilar
3 weeks agoWow, love that castle a lot makes me that I'm in England, Germany, or Italy. The tour is so awesome, the staff there is very helpful and friendly too. The grape vineyards is beautiful and so the flowers too. We picked a couple of grapes to eat too. The grape juice the white and red one was absolutely a taste bomb of fruit and sugary like its homemade in California. The scenic view is so nice too. The misty water spray was helpful for the hot heat to cool off a bit too. Me and my family really enjoyed this experience. We've been there 3 times now. We would love to go back again to explore and taste the drinks there.
Michael Ritland
a month agoThere are so many wineries in this area of CA and I have not been to many of them. Having said that, this was a fun stop on our tour of the region. The castle is impressive and reminiscent of those I have toured in Europe. We took the tour and then had a tasting. We experienced several outstanding pours and also had a great pairing of meat, cheese, crackers, olives, and grapes. The gift shop has a fun variety of offerings.
JK
a week agoThis winery was amazing! My friend and I booked a tour for our girls trip and it was a great time. Starting off with the place itself, it was gorgeous. Lovely views and a lovely castle. The tour we booked was good and the host made it a whole lotta fun. It included walking the caves, the landscape area and then a tasting. Now the wines weren’t amazing, we did like couple of them like the brut. All in all, we had a great time and would recommend.