A Weekend in Napa (Part III)
Wine love — V. Sattui and Castello di Amorosa
Lay down on the grass, hear the whistle of the Wine Train. Let summer drown you in its warmth, while you sip on some vintage champagne!
St. Helena’s V. Sattui winery bestows upon you an expanse of 2 acre picnic grounds adorned with giant oak trees, flowers and vineyards —
You pick the wine you wanna drink; be spoilt by choice at the Artisan Deli that offers oodles of cheese, crackers, charcuterie, fresh fruits, chutneys and more; and feast whilst picnicking on that “oh-so-cozily-sunlit” patch of green!
Of course, in-house desserts include Tiramisu, Crème Brûlée and much more…
Over in Calistoga, Castello di Amorosa, delves into classic Italian-style wines, meticulously crafted to perfection. The castle driveway and magnanimity will not only hark you right into a 13th century Tuscan castle or the likes of an agriturismo, it will grip you by its fine and raw perfections of a medieval structure built with 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled local stone and nearly one million antique bricks imported from Europe.
Embrace this legacy dating back to 1885 — reincarnated by fourth generation winemaker Dario Sattui in 2007. Oh! The poetic irony of carving a dream into reality, in which the reality actually turns out to be more like a dream.
Interestingly, Dario is the great grandchild of pioneering vintner Vittorio Sattui, an Italian immigrant who founded St. Helena Wine Cellars in 1885. Prohibition altered the fate of the business in 1920 after which it remained dormant for over 50 years. Dario returned to U.S.A in 1972, reopening the V. Sattui winery in 1975. This moment commenced the (almost) three decade journey that culminated at the opening of Castello di Amorosa.
Immerse yourself in Castello di Amorosa — an all-encompassing “Castle of Love” — love for familial heirlooms, love for spectacular wine and love for sublime architecture.
