|
"Rising above the hills in the Napa Valley is Castello di Amorosa, an authentic-styled, 12th century Tuscan castle-winery complete with high walls and five defensive towers and over 30 acres of estate vineyards. It was built over a 15-year period by Dario Sattui, owner of popular, V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena, California. The Wall Street Journal cited Castello di Amorosa as a "must-see destination", and more recently, the Contra Costa Times included Castello di Amorosa as one of the top destination wineries in the country. After decades of studying medieval castles in Italy and Europe, Sattui commenced building in 1994. The Castello evolved to include 121,000 square feet, 107 rooms, 8,000 tons of hand-squared stone, 8 levels (4 above ground, 4 below) 900 linear feet of caves, a great hall with two-story Italian frescoes, a drawbridge and a moat. Reminiscent of old world castles, the Castello also has a dungeon and torture chamber, secret passage ways, courtyards, loggias, a church, stables and a 12,000 square foot Grand Barrel Room which is constructed with ancient Roman cross-vaulted ceilings. The vineyards surrounding the Castello are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Primitivo and Sangiovese grapes which produce low yields and intensely flavored wines. The internationally acclaimed wines are primarily Italian varieties that pair well with foods from around the world. Currently producing 15,000 cases per year, the wines are sold only at the winery. Guided tours which include a private tasting are available by appointment and wine tasting needs no appointment."
|