Wine Tasting at a Castle in Napa

Did you know that there is a castle in Napa Valley? Well, I didn’t either! I was rather surprised when our “party van” pulled up and the exterior of the castle was reminiscent of my travels through Italy. I immediately felt transported back to the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. Castello di Amorosa, located in Calistoga, is an authentically-styled, 13th century Tuscan castle and winery.

This isn’t your typical winery that you’d expect to find in Napa Valley. It is as if someone plucked a Tuscan castle and plopped it onto the one hundred seventy acres of forest and hills that make up the Castello di Amorosa property.

In addition to a dungeon with a torture chamber accessible through one of the many hidden passageways, there are 106 other rooms, a church and chapel, farmhouse, moat around the castle complete with a drawbridge.

Castello di Amorosa was built by Dario Sattui, whose inspiration for the castle came from the two years he spent traveling through Europe visiting medieval castles, monasteries, palaces farmhouses and wineries.

Our group took a tour of the winery and grounds with Jason, who was the most animated tour guide I have ever met, after all he did work for Disneyland. While a tour is not necessary, it is well worth it. We admired the frescoes on the walls inside the chapel painted by Italian artist Fabio Sanzogni. The artist’s works can be seen throughout the castle, in the Great Hall and even in the restrooms.

As our guide led us below ground and through the corridors lined with wine barrels, we went down further and further until we were four stories below the ground. The tour culminates in the torture chamber where you can’t help but feel a tingle of pain as the guide vividly describes the purpose of the various torture devices. I’ll spare you the details.

We finally end our tour in the Great Hall where our tasting is set up (considering our large group). This is what I’ve been waiting for! We sample five different wines – Pinot Grigio, Rosato di Sangiovese, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Il Raggio del Sole. My favorite was the Rosato di Sangiovese.

Castello di Amorosa is more than just your typical winery – it is an experience. You can transport yourself to Italy without even leaving California in a fantasy Italian castle with great wine to boot.

General Admission allows access to two levels of the Castello and a 5 wine premium ($20) or a 6 wine reserve tasting ($30) in the main tasting room. 

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Have you been wine tasting in Napa? What are your favorite wineries?