52 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM On April 7, 2007, Castello di Amorosa finally opened to the public. After a sleepless night, Dario arrived early and stood on the drawbridge, anxiously awaiting judgment. “For years, I tried to keep it a secret. What a crazy idea to build a castle in the Napa Valley!” he acknowledges. “Had I made a complete fool of myself or would people come?” To Dario’s relief, they came. Slowly at first, but word spread— amplified by newspaper, magazine and TV coverage—and then…. “People really started to come, and Nearly one million antique bricks imported from Europe and 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled local stone. Hand-forged ironwork. Hand-carved gargoyles. Imported Italian lead glass. More than 200 shipping containers of antiques, armor and furnishings. “One door to the Great Hall has about 2,000 nails in it, all made by hand over the open fire,” describes Dario. “I was on the construction site in the daytime and working on the plans at night. I spent countless hours researching, tweaking stuff, going back to Italy to make sure I got it right. I was consumed—I did it out of passion, not because I had to.” today, I think we’re the most frequented winery in the Napa Valley.” TOURS AND TASTINGS No need to storm this castle. All that’s required to cross the drawbridge is a Tour & Tasting reservation. “Our philosophy is to make elegant, intensely flavored and well-balanced wines,” says Dario. “We get visitors who love the architecture of the castle and wine aficionados who really support us and buy our wine as well.” All tasting reservations include a self-guided tour, which allows you to freely explore the Castello’s two main levels. Spend time in the Courtyard, studying architectural styles from the 10th through 15th centuries, before taking in the Great Hall’s handpainted Italian frescoes and 500-year-old Umbrian fireplace. For portraits of knights and medieval jousting scenes, check out the Knights Hall, and don’t miss the Chapel frescoes painted by a medieval religious art specialist. Book a tasting experience with a guided tour, and you’ll be led down winding stone hallways to the dramatic Grand Barrel Room three levels below, along with the {due west} PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF KAREN HUTTON / COURTESY OF PAIGE GREENE / COURTESY OF CASTELLO DI AMOROSA - JIM SULLIVAN
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