Feb 11, 20202 min read

Napa Valley Series: Castello di Amorosa

Updated: Jan 4, 2023

Who doesn’t love castles? I think when we were kids, at some point for all of us, castles were a part of our make-believe land. Now, as an adult, imagine combining the intrigue of a castle with the fun experience of wine tasting!

Photo courtesy of Castello di Amorosa

Castello di Amorosa (Castle of Love) is located in Calistoga in northern Napa Valley. This unique winery is a 13th century-inspired, Tuscan castle. After 30 years of development and construction, it’s owner Dario Sattui brought medieval Italy to Northern California. The castle is very true to what you would expect to see in Tuscany in the 1200s:

107 rooms (95 of them are dedicated to winemaking – this is a functioning estate winery)
8 different levels with 4 of them being underground
5 defensive towers
Moat with a drawbridge
Great hall
Torture chamber (because of course, no castle would be a true castle without a torture chamber)

This castle is absolutely beautiful! In order to keep the look authentic, much care was taken to have lamps, gates, doors, and windows hand-crafted and forged by Italian artisans. Even furnishings such as chairs and stools were brought over from Europe to keep with the authentic look of a medieval Italian castle.

Now I know I have been raving on and on about the castle, but I can tell you first-hand that this place is not just a pretty face with no real substance.

The wines are some of the best I had in Napa Valley!

I did a guided tour of the castle that snaked us throughout the castle, starting with the chapel, entering the Great Hall, and then making our way into the belly of the castle through mazes of hallways and small chambers. Along the way, we also were exposed to the winemaking processes used at this winery and the expansive wine cellars and underground tasting rooms.

Photographed by Ronda Wright

The tasting included a selection of premium wines that included white wines, red, rose’ and sweet. These winemakers did not disappoint!

The wine flavors and aromas were very strong and definitely connected with the Italian theme.

The wines were tasty and left you wanting more – which was a great marketing tool because wine from this winery can only be purchased through them (in person or through their website). The Pinot Grigio and La Fantasia were my favorites…and yes, I purchased some 😊

By the time I was ending my tour and tasting and stepped back into the sunlight, I almost expected to see the Tuscan countryside in front of me dotted with medieval styled homes. But then I remembered that this was just my time in fantasy land – thank you Dario Sattui for bringing my make-believe land to life and filling it with delicious adult libations!

If you’re interested in wine tasting at Castello di Amorosa, the winery is located at 4045 St Helena Hwy, Calistoga, CA.