Castello di Amorosa

Castello di Amorosa is a castle and a winery located near Calistoga, California. First opening its doors to the public in April 2007, the castle is the pet project of 4th generation vintner, Dario Sattui, who also owns and operates the V. Sattui Winery named after his great-grandfather, Vittorio Sattui, who originally established a winery in San Francisco in 1885 after emigrating from Italy to California.[2][3]

Castello di Amorosa
LocationCalistoga, California, USA
Coordinates38°33′30″N 122°32′34″W
AppellationNapa Valley
Founded2007
First vintage2001
Key peopleDario Sattui
Cases/yr16,000[1]
Known forIl Barone Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
VarietalsCabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot grigio, Pinot bianco, Muscato, Gioia- Rosato di Sangiovese, Merlot, La Fantasia
TastingOpen to the public
Websitewww.castellodiamorosa.com

The winery sits on property that was once part of an estate owned by Edward Turner Bale.[4] In 1993, Sattui purchased the 171 acres on which the castle lies for $3.1 million, then spent another $40 million to construct the castle, outbuildings, and the winery inside the castle; construction work began in 1995.[5]

Inspiration

After graduating with an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley in 1969, Dario Sattui spent 2 years traveling around Europe in an old VW van, during which time he developed an interest in medieval architecture. He took photos and made sketches of various buildings he would visit including medieval castles, monasteries, palaces, farmhouses and wineries.[6]

The castle
Front entrance to the Castello di Amorosa Winery.

The castle interiors, which include 107 rooms on 8 levels above and below ground, were approximately 121,000 square feet (11,200 m2) when opened in 2007; it has since been expanded to 141,000 square feet.[5]

Key details and building techniques are architecturally faithful to the 12th and 13th century time period. Among many other features, it includes a moat; a drawbridge, defensive towers, an interior courtyard, a torture chamber, a chapel/church, a knights' chamber, and a 72 by 30 feet (9.1 m) great hall with a 22-foot (6.7 m)-high coffered ceiling.

The torture chamber has an iron maiden said to be from the late Renaissance,[7] which Sattui states he bought for $13,000 in Pienza, Italy; a replica rack; and other torture devices.[1][8][9] The great hall features frescoes painted by two Italian artists, who took about a year and a half to complete, and showcases a 500-year-old fireplace.

Wine tasting in the cellar

The masonry, ironwork, and woodwork were fashioned by hand using old world crafting techniques. Building materials included 8,000 tons of locally quarried stone, paving stones, terra cotta roofing tiles, and 850,000 bricks imported from Europe.[1][10][11] Extending into the hillside adjacent to the castle is a labyrinth of caves some 900 feet (270 m) in length. Beneath the castle are a 2-acre (8,100 m2) barrel cellar and tasting rooms where visitors can sample the wines, all sold only at the Castle or through the winery's wine club.[12]

Due to Napa County restrictions, the castle and grounds cannot be rented for weddings or receptions, but are available to rent for corporate gatherings and fund raisers. In May 2012 the county ordered the winery to cease holding a weekly Catholic Mass in the chapel located on the grounds due to lack of use permits.[13]

A 360° panorama of the Great Hall.
  • The castle as seen from the driveway.
  • A view of the drawbridge entrance.
  • A view of the great hall.
  • A view of the courtyard.
  • A view of knights' chambers.
  • A view of the wine cellar.
  • A view of the castle exterior from moat level.
  • The Iron Maiden in the Torture Chamber.
  • The Torture Chamber.
  • A 400 year old wine press imported from Italy on the castle grounds.
  • Gargoyle at the entrance of the castle

References
  1. NewsOK
  2. Nolte, Carl (March 28, 2010). "V. Sattui's humble beginnings in North Beach". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, CA: . Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  3. Davis, Kip (September 24, 2010). "Reviving a century-old dream". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  4. Indardonato, John (January 29, 2004). "Sattui castle combines art, wine and the old world". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  5. McLaughlin, Katy (September 19, 2013). "Dario Sattui Built a Castle to House His California Winery". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  6. "Bios: Dario Sattui". Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  7. "History Archives". Castello di Amorosa. Retrieved 2019-08-18.
  8. Engle, Jane (February 27, 2007). "Napa Valley medieval: Sattui's Castello di Amorosa". Los Angeles Times. Napa, CA. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  9. Via Magazine
  10. Peter Jensen (July 13, 2013). "Mining Napa's eastern hills". Napa Valley Register. Napa Valley Publishing.
  11. The Press Democrat Archived 2007-10-07 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Golden Haven
  13. Scully, Shane (May 23, 2012). "County orders Sattui's 'Castle' to stop church services". The Weekly Calistogan. Calistoga, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
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