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Castello di Amorosa hosted The Pagan Ball, a wine club event, on October 30, 2011. The sold-out event included a VIP reception followed by The Pagan Ball which included haunted underground tours through the Castello's lower 81,000 square foot labyrinth of cellars and caves. Even the revered Great Hall took on a haunted twist and served up some savory delights while guests danced to the sounds of VJ Kid Karter. Hay Ball Hell was the perfect lounge for those waiting to have their photo taken in the Truncated Guard Tower and the Il Passito Reserve Wine and Wine Club Member Lounge was packed with ghouls, goblins and those looking for Castello's Il Barone Cabernet Sauvignon, a 94 point wine by Robert Parker.
Please enjoy the video and the photos that follow. The event will sell out early again in 2012. Please see our website http://www.castellodiamorosa.com for details.
The Pagan Ball Photos
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Castello di Amorosa's Crush Pad is the center of harvest activity during this time of the year. For one night, Saturday, September 24, 2011 it became the Great Grape Stomp Stadium with happy Wine Club members covered head to toe in grape juice.
Pizza served hot from the Great Hall's Outdoor Oven.
Healthy food paired perfectly with Castello di Amorosa wine.
The wine is ready. Are you ready for the wine? 2007 Il Brigante; great wine, legendary vintage.
Castello staff, smiling and ready to serve.
Some started the grape stomping early-- a warm up for the competition to follow.
The Courtyard-- always the center of the party. Great food, live band and dancing!
Let the Grape Stomp Competition begin.
Stomp, Stomp, Stomp.
Now these are some happy Napa Valley grape destemmers.
Fast hands filled the basket for the team to destem the grapes before stomping.
She is ready. Notice the lack of grape stains.
The result of efficient destemming.
The Crushpad: The Stadium of Stomp!
Great Napa Valley grapes about to get stomped.
Most of the scenes in this photo are, well, priceless.
Time to party. We won.
Love in the barrel.
Dancing in the Courtyard to the sounds of "The Special Guests."
Wine, up close and personal with Castello Lab Technician, Jose Basulto.
Hey, that bunch of Chardonnay grapes is Zeke Perez, our Castaldo Manager. Priceless fun!
Nadalie, USA cooperage. Toasting the inside of a French Oak wine barrel.
Scott Webster from Portocork talks to guests about cork.
Castello di Amorosa Cellar Master, Ron Lilly, talks to guests about wine futures. Here he's pouring 2010 Il Barone Cabernet Sauvignon.
Director of Winemaking, Brooks Painter (L) and Associate Winemaker, Peter Velleno (R) in the Fermentation Room.
A beautiful Napa Valley evening for the Harvest Celebration. See you next year, September 22, 2012.
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Dario Sattui welcomed the guests to the Hot Havana Nights party.
The Castello's doors were wide open!
Castle President, Georg Salzner; Dario Sattui and V.Sattui President, Tom Davies.
A beautiful evening in The Courtyard- Dancing by the World Latin Dance Team:
Kat Kresch and Nick Lau
A beautiful evening turned into a magical night.
Hot Latin music by the Carlos Herrera Trio kept us off the chairs and on the dance floor.
Carlos Herrera. Awesome!
The dancing was, well, fantastic.
Better than fantastic-- captivating!!
Billy Kader from Hemingway Cigars, Palo Alto provided complimentary cigars for our guests.
Noel Garza pictured "lighting" his cigar!
World Latin Dance Team member, Kat Kresch got into the action on the dance floor.
There were plenty of great cigars thanks to Bill Kader of Hemingway Cigars.
Billy Kader showing us just how to light up! Thank you, Billy!
The perfect pairing- Great Castello wine and fine cigars!
This what happens when the Carlos Herrera Trio strikes the right notes!
Have you ever been in a man cave? Jack Grant brought his Mobile Man Cave,
the CigaRV. Thank you, Jack.
Knickerbocker's Catering served up some great Cuban eats!
Castello's Winemaker, Brooks Painter with Cinquecento Wine Club Member,
Matt Wainwright enjoy the Future Release Tasting in The Grand Barrel Room.
How about that 2010 Castello di Amorosa Il Barone Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
It's showing beautifully, right out of the barrel.
Meanwhile, back at the Courtyard, Castello's Joshua Meyer pours more than
enough 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Things got even hotter as night descended on The Courtyard...
That's right- a fire performance!!
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Photos from the 2011 Midsummer Medieval Festival
Photo gallery: The Midsummer Medieval Festival-2010
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The Amici Del Barone, Castello di Amorosa's Wine club gathered to celebrate the fruits of the harvest. It is common that celebrations at the Castello often take on a life of their own and last Saturday's Festa del 'Uva was no exception.
While the Grape Stomp Competition was the featured event of the evening, there was plenty more to see including demonstrations featuring cooperage, hand-waxing of Il Barone bottles and cork manufacturing demonstrations by Scott Webster of Portocork. The entire Castello was open and alive with celebration.
Wine club members came from as far away as Hawaii to the Festa to eat the great food, drink great wine and stomp the heck out of some real nice Napa Valley grapes. Teams were formed with names like, FOTY, Nutmeg Alohas, Grape Nuts, Janie's Jumpers, First Crush, Oceans 11, The Grapes of Wrath, Just Juicin', The Grape Ape, The Big Squeeze, Buffalo Warriors, Purple Grape, Grape Crush, Team Squeeze-a-lot, Grape Gatsby's and Polish Power.
A picture is worth a thousand words so please enjoy the photo montage below.
The Grape Stomp Competition
First, grab as many grapes as you can and put them in huge baskets!
And then dump the Napa Valley grapes into the destemmer... carefully.
Hey, watch your head. And turn that crank, fast.
For most it was all about stomping the grapes, and for others, well....
Stomp, stomp, stomp and keep stomping.
Smiling, stomping, laughing, smiling, stomping... I think you get it.
Some stomped so hard, they lost their shirt, so to speak.
When you're done stomping, pour the Napa Valley grape juice into a bottle.
And look out for this team; obviously, they've done this before! Look at those beautiful faces of experience and the power in them legs!
However, the team with the most juice- the Grape Nuts pictured with Castello di Amorosa owner, Dario Sattui.
Hungry? How about some pizza from the Outdoor Oven
Shannon Kelly of Knickerbockers' catering putting the finishing touches on the pizza. http://www.knickerbockerscatering.com
Making a French Oak Barrel by Nadalie Cooperage
It takes great skill to make a French Oak barrel. http://www.nadalie.com/
And the perfect amount of heat provides the toast necessary to make great Castello di Amorosa wines.
Scott Webster of Portocork demonstrating the origin of cork. http://www.portocork.com/
The Torture Chamber -- Il Barone 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and chocolate
Castello di Amorosa's Il Barone was poured in the Torture Chamber that featured chocolate- tons of it. It was affectionately know as "Death by Chocolate" although no one actually died
.
You see, she survived "Death by Chocolate."
One of favorite comments on the Castello di Amorosa Facebook page summarized it best:
"It was the best thing you could do, with clothes on. My thanks to Dario and all the great staff at the castle."
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Race to be the winner at the first annual Grape Stomp team trials.
Enjoy the aromas of freshly toasted French Oak!
The Castello's wood-fired outdoor oven cooks some awesome pizza served hot and paired with the Castello's Sangiovese.
The Castello in all of it's 13th century Tuscan glory!
Elegantly crafted Italian-style wine paired with gourmet food. Let your palate guide you from one tasting to another.
For more information or for reservations, please call Chelle at 707-967-6274.
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Let the games begin. The Midsummer Festival at Lake Mario.
Jousting, falconry, archery, bocce and wine at the Midsummer Festival.
Merrymaking in the Castello's Courtyard where the games continue and...
... the feast begins. Seating is available at this premiere Castello di Amorosa
Amici del Barone wine-club event. Not a wine club member? Not a problem.
Come to the event and sign up for the club on the spot.
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The Midsummer Festival
June 26, 2010
6:15 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
You won't want to miss the most popular Wine Club event of the year.
We are clearing a path just for you. Call 707-967-6274 for more details.
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A Medieval Evening at Castello di Amorosa
-- A Wine Club Member Only Event --
Enjoy an evening of great jollification, feasting and merrymaking at the Il Banchetto Medioevale -- a Medieval Banquet.
Join us as Castello di Amorosa, Dario Sattui's 13th century Tuscan-style castle steps back in time on April 24, 2010 for a spectacular evening of food, music and wine. Come view the latest 13th century dances after you've indulged in a unique, VIP tasting of our newest-released wines. Feast in the Castello's Italian Frescoe-adorned Great Hall as you are serenaded with wonderous, live medieval music and entertainers.
This is an event you won't want to miss, but you need to be in the wine club to attend. To join the club or for more information, please call Chelle at 707-967-6274.
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Waiting for more La Fantasia? Well, the wait is finally over; La Fantasia is back in the tasting room and we're so excited we're throwing a party. Wine club members and up to five of their guests are invited to Castello di Amorosa for a complimentary tasting of our wines including, the super-popular and now, "just released," Fantasia. It's at TheCastello (also our Twitter handle) Sunday, January 31, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. 'till 4:00 p.m.
Castello di Amorosa's La Fantasia is an Italian soft-style wine which is lower in alcohol, naturally sweet and refreshing with bright aromas of cherry, exotic flowers and wild berries. It sells out every year, so come by the tasting room to place your order.
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