Wax Bottle Seal

Bradley Aden

September 24th, 2020

Wax Seal Logo

Wax Wine Bottle Seal

A wax sealed bottle is a beautiful addition to your wine rack, but can be intimidating when it comes time to open it. This is easier than you may think! Simply plunge your corkscrew through the wax, as if it were not even there. Lift the cork slightly and wipe any wax crumbles from the opening. Pull the cork the rest of the way out and enjoy!

How To Properly Open A Wax-Sealed Bottle of Wine

Why Dip Our Bottles?

Wax provides a secure seal and barrier, far superior to a regular bottle wrap. Wax wine bottle seals also help customers distinguish between our regular wines and our reserve wines.

What Bottles Get Dipped?

We dip all our reserve wines in wax. This includes all single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon as well as our signature Cabernet, Il Barone. We also dip our single-vineyard Pinot Noir’s and our Super Tuscan Blend, La Castellana. We do dip wines other than reds such as Rosato, Il Passito, and Reserve Chardonnay.



Rutherford Vineyard AVA

Manley Vineyards

Bradley Aden

September 9th, 2020

Rutherford Vineyard AVA

Manley Vineyards in Rutherford – The Newest Castello Addition

On the corner of Manley Lane & Highway 29 in Rutherford is Castello’s newest estate vineyard located in the Rutherford AVA. Home of unique terrior and home to some of the Napa Valley’s most historic and world-reknown wines. Manley Vineyards is part of the Rutherford AVA and is known for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The vineyard gives us a chance to continue our tradition of producing fine Napa Valley Cabernet’s.

The Manley Lane estate vineyard is 3 acres and is entirely Cabernet Sauvignon. Two acres were planted in 2000, the remaining acre was added in 2009. The human touch with this vineyard starts with David Bejar, who lovingly cares for the vines throughout the year.

Manley Estate Vineyards – Rutherford AVA

The Rutherford AVA is an American Viticulatural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered on the town of Rutherford, California. The area is known for it’s unique terroir particularly with it’s Cabernet Sauvignon. The well-drained soil of this area is composition of gravel, loam and sand with volcanic deposits and marine sediments from the Franciscan Assemblage. The appellation accounts for only 6,650 acres.

Rutherford is an appellation within the appellation, which has a diversity of soils, exposure, and orientation that is as complex as Napa Valley. The alluvial soil fans that deliver into Rutherford from the east and west. What most people don’t understand about Rutherford dust is that it represents a later ripening site in the heart of the valley, which slows the ripening down to add finesse and complexity to the wines. Historical records show that a portion of the vineyard was actually planted in 1895 by Mrs. Thomas Rutherford herself

Rutherford Dust

“The Rutherford Dust”

The legend of Rutherford dust starts with the regions superior soil makeup. The lighter dirt on the valley floor helped differentiate it from the other Napa Valley AVA’s. Thus giving the region the term “Rutherford Dust”, now the name is used around the world by winedrinkers alike. In Rutherford, the deeper soils and microclimates create longer growing seasons and ‘hang time’ that seem to round out the tannins in a soft, dusty style. The lighter soil dust gives the Rutherford region a special flavor profile that differentiates it from other Napa Valley regions. This gives wines from the area a powdery ‘fine dusty tannin’ effect with hints of plump cocoa powder.

Manley Lane Vineyard in The Rutherford AVA of Napa Valley

Cabernet Country

Director of Winemaking Brooks Painter noted “The quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from the Manley Lane Vineyard is astounding. It is deep, rich and full of intense flavors that can only come from valley floor Cabernet. We can’t wait to share the wine made from this vineyard in the very near future. Cheers to Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!”

Rutherford Dust Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford Cabernet


deconstructed albondigas

Deconstructed Albondigas

deconstructed albondigas

Recipe Date: July 12th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Deconstructed Albondigas Soup Recipe

  • 4 cups Beef Broth
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 Large cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
  • 2 Large cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 lb Ground beef
  • 1 lb Spicy sausage
  • 2 Heads of cabbage, cored and diced
  • 1 Small bag frozen white corn
  • 5 Carrots thinly sliced
  • 5 Stalks diced celery
  • 4 Large cloves minced garlic
  • 1 Bunch chopped cilantro (set some aside for garnish)
  • 1 Large diced brown onion

Brown ground meat and/or sausage. Add to a large pot with all other ingredients. Cook over medium low heat until vegetables are to desired softness. To accelerate the cooking process, give the veggies a quick sauté before adding to the pot. Stir and taste often and, as always, add seasoning as needed.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 45-60 mins


Related Products – Dry Gewurztraminer



Strawberry Cupcake

Strawberry Wine Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcake

Recipe Date: July 4th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Strawberry Rosé Wine Cupcakes Recipe

From Pastry Tales

Our friends from Pastry Tales bless us with another amazing dessert recipe. These strawberry cupcakes feature our fan favorite La Fantasia, an ideal match for the Frizzante-Style Rose. These soft vanilla cupcakes are filled with a homemade wine strawberry curd and topped with a delicious wine strawberry whipped cream frosting.

Ingredients

For the vanilla cupcakes

1 and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature. Do not use oil. Oil will make your cupcakes greasy and dense.

1 cup white granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (plain)

For the strawberry wine curd

1 lb of fresh strawberries, chopped in small pieces

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup La Fantasia wine (or any other pink sweet wine)

4 egg yolks

For the frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream cream

1/2-2/3 cup cup powdered sugar (it’s up to you how sweet you want the frosting to be)

1/4 cup La Fantasia wine (or any other sweet pink wine)

1/2 cup strawberry puree (puree them in a blender)

For the sugar coated strawberries

14 small/medium size fresh strawberries. Please use ripe strawberries BUT NOT SOFT.

1/2 cup La Fantasia wine (or any other sweet pink wine)

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

Instructions

For the curd

1.- Place wine strawberries, wine and ¼ cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium high heat cook for 10 minutes, until the fruit is broken down. You can use a potato mash to break down the strawberries too. Pass the mixture through a sieve and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. We are using a sieve so we can catch all the little seeds or thick skin that didn’t cook.

2.- While the strawberries are cooling, make the egg mixture : In a small saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, butter, cornstarch and remaining sugar. Pour in strawberry mixture and place on medium heat stirring constantly. Allow to cook, continually stirring, until thickened to a custard-like consistency then remove from heat. Pass this mixture through a sieve and allow to cool it completely to room temperature. Place it in the fridge for about 2 hours or more. We are using a sieve here again because we want to catch any leftover yok that did not cook very well.

-Your filling/curd is done, now let’s make the sugar coated strawberries-

 

For the sugar coated strawberries

1.- Wash your strawberries, dry them with paper towel. Place strawberries in a shallow container and cover them with 1/2 cup of La Fantasia or any other sweet rose wine. Cover the container with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate for 1 hour or 1 hour and a half.

2.- Drain strawberries and lightly dry them. If you want, you can reserve the liquid so you use it for the frosting. Place them on the top of a small baking sheet or shallow dish and roll them in the white granulated sugar. Place them the baking sheet/dish in the freezer until ready to use. Do not leave your strawberries at room temperature because the sugar can melt.

-Your sugar strawberries are done, now let’s make the vanilla cupcakes-

For the cupcakes

1.- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a regular size muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

2.- In a small bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3.- In a big bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter for 2 minutes. Then, add sugar slowly and mix in medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one by one mixing well after each addition.

4.- Add in vanilla. Mix. Add in yogurt. Mix for 1 minute.

5.- Add in dry ingredients and mix in low speed until you don’t see any leftover flour. Be careful to not over mix the batter.

6.- Fill your cupcake liners just until 1/2 full, I like to use an ice cream scoop, it works great. Bake for 20 minutes aprox. or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.

7.- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer the cupcakes to a cooking rack to cool completly.

-Cupcakes are done, wait till they are all cooled off and then start with the frosting-

Please Note

When the cupcakes are all cooled off, using a pairing knife cut the centers so you can fill them with the curd . You should make all this before you start making the frosting. Begin by cutting a small circle on the top , cutting about 2/3 down into the thickness of the cupcake. Be sure to not cut all the way down and take out the core.

Then, fill that hole with the strawberry curd. Just use a small spoon. You won’t need to cover the top of the hole with some of the core you took off. But if you want to, you can do it.

For the frosting

For the frosting you have 2 options: Use fresh strawberry puree or you can cook down the strawberries to get rid of some of the moisture so your frosting is not too runny. If you decide to cook down the strawberries, follow the directions since number 1 otherwise jump to number 3. I decided to cook down the strawberries and my frosting was better than using just fresh strawberries.

1.- Place your strawberries in a blender and puree until creamy. Pass this mixture through a sieve so you can discard the seeeds.

2.- Add the strawberry puree to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and continue cooking to reduce it to 1/4 cup. This will take you about 15 minutes. When your mixture has reduced and thickened pour it into a small container and let it cool, you can place it in the fridge to cool it faster.

3-. When cooled, add the strawberry mixture, heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl. For the first minute whip in low speed. Add wine (or some of the liquid you reserve from the sugar coated strawberries) and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes and then high speed until the mixture holds nice peaks. Place this mixture in the fridge until you are ready to frost.

4.- Using a piping bag and a tip (I used Wilton 1 M), frost your cupcakes. Place one sugar coated strawberry on the top.

Remember – Keep your sugar coated strawberries in the freezer until ready to serve. These strawberry rosé wine cupcakes are the best the same day or the day after that you make them.

 

Enjoy and cheers!


Related Products – La Fantasia



Cherry Cake

Red Wine Chocolate Cherry Cake

Cherry Cake

Recipe Date: July 3rd, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Red Wine Chocolate Cherry Cake

From Pastry Tales

With Cherry season in full swing, our favorite collaborator at Pastry Tales had a special recipe in mind. If you love wine & chocolate, you are sure to love the recipe. The chocolate cake creates an ideal match for fresh cherries. The cake is highlighted by our 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley.

Ingredients

For the cake

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup dark cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvingon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups fresh cherries. Sliced and pitted.

For the ganache/icing:

3 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces. If you don’t have baking chocolate, you can use chocolate chips.

1 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvignon

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour your baking pan. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper.

1.- In a mixing bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cocoa powder and sugar. Mix. Set aside.

2.- In a smaller bowl mix eggs, oil, vanilla extract, wine. Mix well.

3.- Using a mixer in low speed, add the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Do not overmix.

4.- Using a spatula fold in cherries.

5.- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan.

6.- Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If you notice the top of your cake is all baked but the inside isn’t ready yet, just cover the top with a piece of foil and keep baking until it’s done.

For the glaze

1.- In a heat-proof bowl mix the chocolate, light corn syrup and butter. Place this bowl in the microwave and heat it up medium heat for about 40 seconds. Take the bowl out of the microwave, stir well and do another 40 seconds. Mix well until everything is well combined and chocolate is melted. Be careful to not overheat the chocolate because it can burn.

2.- Place this bowl on a cooling rack and let it cool completely. It will thicken more when it cools off.

Enjoy and cheers!


Related Products – Cabernet Sauvignon



Castello di Amorosa Dessert Recipe

Red Wine Pear Chocolate Cake

Castello di Amorosa Dessert Recipe

Recipe Date: July 1st, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Red Wine Pear Chocolate Cake

From Pastry Tales

Ingredients

For the bundt cake

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanlla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream

3/4 cup wine, I chose to use Zinfandel

1-2 cans pears, you should cut each half of pear in 2 slices. You should decide how much pears you add in your cake. I used 1 can and I think I could have used more.

For the glaze:

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

red wine, I used Zinfandel

For decoration:

Chopped chocolate. I used Brix chocolate for wine.

Instructions

For the cake

1.- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease Bundt pan and set aside.

2.- In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

3.- In a bowl of a stand up mixer and with the paddle attachment, mix butter, white sugar and brown sugar, for about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one by one mixing well after each addition. Add in vanilla extract.

4.- Incorporate half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add yogurt and wine, mixing it carefully. Then, add the rest of the dry ingredients.

5.-Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Take the pears and put them on the top of the batter. Add the other half of the batter.

6.-Bake for about 45  minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the glaze

1.- In a small bowl, add some wine into the sifted powdered sugar and mix it until it becomes a thick glaze.

2.- Decorate the cake with glaze and sprinkle chopped chocolate before the glaze sets.

Enjoy and cheers!


Related Products – Old Vine Zinfandel



Celebrity Guests of The Castle

Celebrities of The Castle in Napa Valley

You Never Know Who You Might See at Castello di Amorosa, especially with frequent visits from celebrities in Napa. Check out some of our well-known visitors who have been through the halls of The Castello. We have had Governors, professional athletes, actors, and many more through the gates.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The former Mr. Universe and Governor of California visited Castello back in 2016. He was a personal guest of Dario Sattui, he was given personal private tour by Dario.

Robert Redford

The retired Actor & Director has been a longtime resident of the Napa Valley. Mr. Redford visited Castello di Amorosa when he performed at the annual Festival Napa Valley in July of 2018.

Francis Ford Coppola

One of the greatest directors in the history of Cinema, is also a fellow vintner and longtime friend of Creator Dario Sattui. The director of Godfather, has been to the Castello on many occasions. Here, he is pictured at our Pagan Ball spectacular with his wife Eleanor.

Gordon Ramsey

Gordon Ramsay

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was the most recent celebrity visitor of Castello di Amorosa. Gordon filmed American Road Trip which can be seen here. He visited in 2019 during the week of our Harvest Celebration.

Adam Sandler

One of the first celebrity visitors of the Castello. Adam Sandler was the star of the Disney movie Bedtime Stories which was filmed at Castello di Amorosa in 2008.

C.C. Sabathia & E-40

The Vallejo native & Hall-of-Fame New York Yankee pitcher C.C. Sabathia had a private event at the Castello in 2018. Among his guests was fellow Vallejo native, rapper E-40.

The Kardashians

The Kardashians had the “#bestday” at Castello di Amorosa in March 2016. The ladies took a private tour of the Castle, while filming part of an episode for Keeping up with The Kardashians. All three ended up wearing crowns.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Giuliani served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He came to the Castello in 2010 with his wife and enjoyed a private food & wine tour in the Royal Apartment with sommelier Mary Davidek. He also served as attorney to President Donald Trump.

Fergie

Fergie attended a benefit and even performed at Castello di Amorosa. She originally achieved chart success as part of the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas.

Mario Andretti

Mario Andretti

Here’s a memory from back in 2010. That’s Mario Andretti with Castello President, Georg Salzner Great visit with one of the best race car drivers ever!

Bon Jovi

In 1986, the New Jersey native broke onto the scene selling more than 20 million records. Bon Jovi attended a benefit concert at Castello di Amorosa back in 2014.



Castle Victorian

Introducing The Castello Victorian Inn

Bradley Aden

March 11th, 2020

The Castello Victorian Inn – The Newest Addition

Built in 1886, Castello Victorian Inn is a historic 4 bedroom / 4 bath / 3600 square feet Victorian home located 3 blocks from downtown Calistoga, CA. Recently restored to its historic charm and converted into an Inn, this 3600 sq ft home is perfect for individuals, couples or families looking to either rent individual rooms or book the entire house while visiting Napa Valley. Owned by Dario Sattui. Experience the allure of the Victorian era without sacrificing modern comforts.

Whether you’re looking for an individual room to stay or an entire house to entertain, make your next visit to Napa Valley one to remember at Castello Victorian! Bring along your friends, your family, and stay in your own private vacation home.

This spacious, updated Victorian Inn is surrounded by majestic trees, outdoor-dining deck, and a BBQ area – perfect for relaxing and entertaining with family and friends. This 3600 sqft home offers:

  • 4 bedrooms, each with their own private baths
  • Large living room with WIFI and cable TV
  • Full-equipped and newly updated kitchen
  • Bar area with wine refrigerator
  • Laundry – washer/dryer
  • Beautiful backyard with redwood decking for BBQ’s and al fresco dining

Book Now


Fritatta

Recipe Date: March 2nd, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4
Cook Time: 00:15
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Easy Breakfast Frittata

Ingredients

A Frittata can be made with an assortment of ingredients; mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, or zucchini. For a heartier main course preparation, ground sausage, bacon or potatoes can be included. To make a frittata, beaten eggs are cooked briefly in a hot skillet along with other ingredients like onions, spinach, bacon and/or potatoes, and then topped with cheese and finished in the oven.

The Castello provided the bounty for this frittata. The royal chickens supplied the organic free range eggs. From the castle garden; zucchini, red and yellow pepper and serrano chili peppers.

Directions

♦ In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together 4 – 6 eggs, grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt.

♦ Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe saute pan over medium high heat.

♦ Add butter to pan and melt. Add frittata contents. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula.

♦ Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top.

♦ Sprinkle with parsley and additional grated parm.

♦ Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy.


Related Products – Gioia



Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Recipe Date: February 27th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 2
Cook Time: 01:00:00
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Recipe

The dictionary defines reduction as the act or process of reducing. This is concise and fairly straightforward. In the kitchen, reductions are equally concise and straightforward. Reducing is simply the process of thickening a liquid i.e. soup, sauce, wine etc. by heating. This slowly causes evaporation thereby intensifying the flavor of the liquid. Using a pan without a lid is preferable (which allows the vapors to escape) until the desired volume is reached.

Ingredients

  • 20 oz Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

  • Pour Balsamic Vinegar into a large sauté pan to maximize surface to balsamic ratio. Start at medium heat stirring occasionally, increasing stirring as it thickens. Do not overheat the Balsamic to the point of simmering or boiling—this is a slow reduction. Target temp is a constant 190 degrees. 68 ounces will reduce to approximately 15 oz. (lasts forever and worth every minute) Store in the fridge in a squeeze-bottle and it will become thicker and more viscous over time.
  • Serving suggestions: Serve over hard cheeses, Caprese Salad or drizzle on chicken before roasting.
  • ** Warning** as this reduces the vinegar odors can get intense; I prefer to do this on day with a cross-draft and the windows open.