You know you love a winery when you visit it a second time! I compare it to having more than one sip of my favorite wine! I love revisiting! (double entendre, wink, wink)

In 2013, I first visited Castello di Amorosa──translates to Castle of Love─ and fell in love with the castle and its medieval architecture. Upon my return home, I hosted a side-by-side tasting with the 2008 La Castellana and a top-notch Italian Super Tuscan, and it was a toss-up!

 

 

“Fourth generation winemaker Dario Sattui built an authentically styled 13th-century Tuscan castle winery to honor his Italian heritage and deep love for medieval architecture. Dario is the great-grandson of pioneering vintner Vittorio Sattui, an Italian immigrant who founded St. Helena Wine Cellars in 1885. The Sattui family lived at the winery, even after Prohibition closed the business in 1920. Dario was always fascinated by the stories and photos of the old winery. As a child, he would play in the winery’s underground cellars and dream of reviving the family business.” ~ Website. 

Dario Sattui said: “he was determined to make the Castello authentic in every respect. I used only old, hand-made materials, and I built it employing the same methods and materials that would have been used 700-800 years ago. You cannot fake something like this. You either do it right, or people will know it is not authentic.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to revisit the winery and paid more attention to all the intricate details. The castle is nestled on a rolling hillside with cypress trees gracing the magnificent entrance, reminiscent of Tuscany. In South Florida, where I reside, it’s summertime all year round and a little cooler during the “winter” months. Unfortunately, I don’t get to enjoy the fall season. I was mesmerized by the yellow and brown leaves on the vines. By coincidence, they coordinated harmoniously with my outfit. The beginning of autumn was in full display at the Castello!

 

Lyn, our host, took us on a magical tour of all the rooms before conducting a delicious wine tasting that included a barrel tasting. The featured wines were a 2017 Sangiovese, a 2017 Sparkling Rose (Spumante) a 2015 La Castellana, similar to a Super Tuscan, a 2018 Old Vine Zinfandel, a Merlot, some white varietals, and La Fantasia. The latter is an Italian style frizzante (soft sparkling) wine which is naturally sweet with a low ABV with bright aromas of strawberry and pomegranate, offering a vibrant mouthfeel with a kiss of summer on the finish.

Their wines are meticulously crafted in an Italian style, and align perfectly with the medieval theme. If you would like to purchase their delicious wines, please visit their website: Napa Valley Castle Winery in Calistoga | Castello di Amorosa

 

 

I hope you enjoyed my wine journey, and hopefully, someday, you will have the opportunity to visit this spectacular winery.

Gina Martino Zarcadoolas, aka Foodiewinelover
Culinary Personality, Food & Wine Blogger
Author of the cookbook: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures
Level-2 Certified world-renowned – “WSET: Wine, Spirit, Education, Trust”
Level-2 Certified Sommelier
Winner of 2019 “Salice Salentino USA Bloggers” Award
Brand Strategist