Is that a castle?

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The thought of flying from the US to Europe seems ghastly right now. Good thing you can satisfy your craving for wine AND castles here - in California!
- Cris

If you’ve ever been driving through Napa Valley, lazily scanning the rows of vineyards and wondering where to get your next tasting flight, and then suddenly thought, “Wait… is that a castle?” Congratulations! You’ve reached the moment every first-timer has at Castello di Amorosa, the 13th-century-style fortress that somehow ended up in the middle of California wine country.

And yes, it’s real. Not theme-park real. Not Renaissance-fair real. The “I think I accidentally wandered into Tuscany” kind of real. It’s one of the most surreal travel pivots you can make in the U.S. You wake up expecting a casual day of wine tasting and next thing you know, you’re walking across a drawbridge, past a moat, heading toward dungeons and frescoes like you’ve been teleported into medieval Europe.

Welcome to Napa’s most dramatic identity plot twist.

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Why Is It HERE?

The story behind this stone giant is part passion project, part obsession, and part “I cannot believe someone actually did this.” The owner, Dario Sattui, comes from a long line of winemakers and apparently woke up one day and decided that Napa needed a fortress. A full one. Not a cute chateau. Not a winery with a turret slapped on top. We’re talking 107 rooms, hand-forged ironwork, a chapel, hidden passageways, four levels of underground cellars, torture chamber (yes, really), and defensive towers you absolutely don’t need for wine tourism, unless you’re expecting a very dramatic tour group.

The best part? Nearly all the materials were brought over from Europe - bricks, doors, beams, nails - because Sattui wanted it to feel authentic. In a way, that level of commitment is the most California thing ever: “If I can't buy a castle, I’ll build one.”

I have a secret suspicion that this project began as a way to spite the neighbors and/or his spouse. “You think I’m antisocial? Let me just show you - I’ll build a moat around the house!”

Going Somewhere? Protect Your Trip (and Your Sanity)

Wine Tasting… in a Dungeon?

Once you settle into the idea that you’re strolling through a legitimate medieval fortress, the wine tasting feels even more fun. Instead of white marble counters and modern glass walls, you’ll sip in candlelit stone chambers that whisper, “Something dramatic definitely happened here in 1452,” even though all of it was completed in the early 2000s.

Downstairs, you’ll find barrel rooms that look like movie sets, complete with the kind of moody lighting that makes even the shyest person feel like a Renaissance noble. And if you take the right tour, you go through the dungeon which includes antique torture devices collected from Europe. Nothing says “This wine has great mouthfeel” like standing a few feet from an iron maiden.

It’s a whole vibe.

Personally, I could totally love living here. Install a library over there…add a huge fireplace and a leather reading chair…this place is giving me ideas.

Did You Hear The Latest Scandal?!?

Castles and gossip go together like grapevines and sunshine, and Castello di Amorosa has had its share of eyebrow-raising moments.

The “Is This a Real Castle?” Drama
For years, wine enthusiasts and architectural purists argued online about whether the castle counts as “real.” On one side: “It’s built with historic materials and techniques, of course it’s real.” On the other: “It was finished in 2007, please calm down.” The debate never really ends, which honestly only adds to the charm. There’s nothing like a medieval-style structure to bring out strong opinions from people wearing Patagonia vests. It seems we live in a time of “fake news” and “real castles.”

The Secret Rooms
There is a long-running swirl of speculation among visitors that there are more hidden rooms than the official tours acknowledge. The castle has 107 rooms, but many are inaccessible to the public. Anytime you build a fortress with trapdoors, people assume you’re hiding something juicy. (For the record: the juiciest things on property are the grapes.)

And that torture chamber…does it look freshly cleaned? Is THIS how the price of wine remains high? Or did someone ignore the ‘do not cross the moat’ sign and “fell” into here? I have so many questions!

Why You Have To See This

Castello di Amorosa isn’t just another winery. It’s a theatrical surprise in a region known for lovely-but-predictable tasting rooms. You come for the wine, but you stay because your brain keeps going, “Should I be wearing armor? Am I allowed to touch this wall? Do we think the dungeon ghosts approve of the rosé? Where can I get a freaky awesome suit of armor for MY apartment?”

It delivers the exact kind of “I cannot believe I’m in California right now” travel moment Espresso Boarding lives for - charming, immersive, slightly fantastical, and the perfect escape from everyday life.

And yes! I am really, truly, totally going to someday get an invitation to the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball! If you know someone with an extra ticket…

If you want to experience something new without the price of an international plane ticket, wander through this castle on a sunny Napa afternoon and let your imagination do the rest. When your friends in Europe visit Napa, please take them to this castle. They’ll be sick with disgust that Americans built a castle in 2020 while Europe is littered with them 😀 

See you next Wednesday.

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