Napa Wine Tour December 20, 2009

Our first stop of the day will be at Castello di Amorosa

Rising above the hills in the Napa Valley is Castello di Amorosa, which translates to the castle of love in Italian. 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, a fourth generation winemaker and owner of 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 research, planning and studying medieval castles in Italy and Europe, Sattui commenced building in 1994. The Castello evolved to include 121,000 square feet, 107 rooms, (of which 95 are used for winemaking or wine storage) 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 and stables. Finally, at 12,000 square feet, the wine barrel room is, perhaps, the single most impressive barrel room in the U.S. and is constructed with ancient Roman cross-vaulted ceilings.

The Castello, however, is merely a backdrop to showcase some of the Napa Valley’s best wines. 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, directly to the consumer.

Our next stop will be at V. Sattui Winery, a family-owned winery established in 1885. V. Sattui's award-winning wines are available exclusively at the winery; there is no outside distribution. This winery is overwhelmingly rated by visitors as a "must" stop. Lunch will be on your own, available in V. Sattui�s large gourmet cheese shop and deli. There is a large picnic area next to the winery building and vineyard where you can enjoy your lunch and the beautiful grounds and view.

Our final stop of the day will be at Beringer Vineyards. No winery more thoroughly embodies the timeless appeal of Napa Valley than Beringer Vineyards, a benchmark producer in Napa Valley since its founding in 1876. Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley. In 2001, the estate was placed on the National Register for Historic Places as a Historic District.

Now in its third century of crafting classic wines from Napa's finest appellations and vineyards, Beringer today is guided by its rich heritage and tradition while utilizing cutting-edge techniques to producing memorable and elegant wines from great vineyards up and down the Napa Valley

Cost:$75.00 per person, includes transportation and all tasting fees

Thanks,

Grady
(916)443-8741

Official Website: http://www.sacdaytrips.com