Heirloom Caprese Salad

Recipe Date: February 26th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4
Cook Time: 01:00:00
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Heirloom Caprese Salad

The best Caprese salad around. Fresh from the farm ingredients are the real key. Use summer tomatoes if at all possible. Quality mozzarella, basil and olive oil are essential in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes or the best ripe tomatoes available
  • 8-ounce ball of mozzarella, preferably fresh or packed in water
  • Handful of fresh basil (smaller leaves look nicer)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt or ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • With a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into ¼″ thick slices. Arrange them on a large serving platter, overlapping their edges and varying the shapes as best you can.
  • Cut the burrata or mozzarella into ¼″ to ½″ slices (burrata is tricky since the inside is so creamy; I cut it into ½″ slices and gently tugged the slices into smaller sections, see photos). Tuck the cheese around and underneath the tomatoes, dispersing it relatively evenly across the platter.
  • Sprinkle basil leaves all over, and tuck a few more into the crevices. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  • For the best flavor (if you have the time), let the salad rest for 30 minutes so the tomatoes release some juices and the flavors have time to mingle. This salad is best served within a few hours. The perfect wine pairing for this Caprese salad is our Pinot Bianco. Leftovers will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Related Products – Pinot Bianco



Sautéed Button Mushrooms

Recipe Date: February 26th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4
Cook Time: 00:15
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Sautéed Button Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs whole small button mushrooms, wiped clean
  • 3 tbsps butter
  • gray sea salt
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsps fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsps lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves

Directions

  • In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms. Do not move the mushrooms until they have caramelized on the bottom. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the butter. Cook and toss for 5 minutes, until beautifully browned.
  • Season with salt and add the garlic. Saute another 2 minutes, and add the thyme, lemon juice, and white wine. Cook to evaporate the liquid.
  • Toss in the parsley and serve immediately.
  • Enjoy an ideal pairing with a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Filet Mignon. Learn how to cook the perfect filet mignon to pair with your sautéed button mushrooms with this great instructional video from our friends at Best Filet Mignon:



Cook with Castello President Georg Salzner

Dario Sattui

February 26th, 2020

Welcome to our Home Part 2 – Castello President Georg Salzner

Castello President Georg Salzner cooks one of his favorite recipes at his home in St. Helena. The video features one of his favorite dishes, Cotoletta Alla Milanese (aka German Schnitzel). This German dish is very popular throughout Europe, especially in Germany & Austria. Pair with Pinot Noir from our Morning Dew Ranch estate, this Pinot has enticing aromas of brambleberries, toasted sage, white pepper, and clove lead to plush layers of red fruits. Drop us a comment below and let us know what recipes you would like to see us cover.

Recipe Directions:

Wiener Schnitzel

1. Prepare three shallow pans for dredging the pork filets, fill one with flour, the second with beaten eggs and heavy cream, and the third with breadcrumbs. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the pork filets. Dredge each filet in the flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs, making sure to shake off excess flour before dipping in the eggs. Set breaded filets aside on a plate for frying.

2. Fill a large sauté pan with 1/2″ grapeseed oil and heat to medium high (not too hot; oil should pop gently when you throw a droplet of water in to test it). Carefully place breaded schnitzel in the hot pan, laying the filet away from you to prevent hot oil from splashing. Pan should fit about 4 filets at a time. Saute filets approximately 3-5 minutes until golden brown, turning once for even cooking. Remove cooked schnitzel to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb extra oil.

3. Serve with lemon wedges and lingnonberry sauce.

Cucumber Salad

1. Peel and thinly slice the cucumbers and add salt, pepper, and sugar. Let rest for 5 minutes.

2. Squeeze excess liquid from the cucumbers and add vinegar, onions, heavy cream, and fresh dill. Toss thoroughly and serve with schnitzel.

Schnitzel Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork loin cut into 1/3″ thick pieces (tenderized to 1/4″ thick)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 5 cups regular bread crumbs
  • 500 mL grapeseed oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 cup lingnonberry or cranberry sauce

Cucumber Salad Ingredients

  • 3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
  • 6 tsp heavy cream
  • 3 tsp fresh dill, minced


Best of Show Gewurztraminer

2020 American Fine Wine Competition!

Bradley Aden

February 14th, 2020

2020 American Fine Wine Competition

We received 9 gold medals at The American Wine Competition. We were the only winery to receive 2 Best of Class Wines. AFWC is “Invitation-only” and includes only wines that received an invitation. The panel of 32 judges include a somm, a wine-trained chef, a wine writer, and an educator, with no producers or distributors to avoid biases. Judges in the AFWC circulate to encourage positive, consistent and careful evaluations.

Best of Show: 2018 Gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley

Winemaker Brooks Painter noted “The grapes for this wine were grown in the Anderson Valley, Mendocino County. We pick after the grapes have developed a pink to reddish hue, and the aromas are effuse with rose petals, cinnamon spice and exotic lychee fruit. We handle the fruit very carefully, avoiding as much as possible some of the more bitter tannins found in the skins. It is cold fermented in stainless steel and bottled in the spring. Gewürztraminer is a grape I am familiar with, as it was one of the first white grapes I made into wine when I started in the wine business 38 years ago. It is delightful with strong cheeses, spicy Asian dishes and sauced white meats.”

Mary Davidek, who runs our highly acclaimed Royal Food & Wine Pairing Tour at the Castello, recommends pairing spicy dishes such as Thai or Indian cuisine with Gewurztraminer, to complement the sweet & spicy elements of the wine.

Best of Class: 2014 Il Barone, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate scored the 2014, 94 Points. Parker Noted “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Il Barone is also impressively endowed with plenty of crème de cassis, blueberry, blackberry fruit, a dense purple color, full-bodied mouthfeel, sweet tannin and a long finish. The wine has more fruit and less minerality than the Butala Vineyard and doesn’t quite show the graphite character, but it is a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 15-20 years. Drink 2016 – 2036.”

Mary Davidek, who runs our highly acclaimed Royal Food & Wine Pairing Tour at the Castello, recommends grilled red meats, wild game, and flavorful cheeses to compliment the excellent 2014 vintage.

All awards from the 2020 American Fine Wine Competition

Castello di Amorosa also received a number of Gold and Double Gold Medals, along with two Best of Class medals for our 2015 Il Barone, Cabernet Sauvignon & 2018 Dry Gewürztraminer. We also received Best of Show White Wine Winner in 2018 Dry Gewürztraminer. Check out the complete list of award winners:

We are always proud of our amazing winemaking team, and look forward to sharing our award-winning wines with you!



The Freshest Olive Oil in Napa Valley

Bradley Aden

February 13th, 2020

Olio Nuovo – Our Freshest Olive Oil

Straight off the presses! Experience the difference fresh makes, an Italian culinary tradition that is hundreds of years old. Olio Nuovo (which means, new oil) differs from your typical Olive Oil. Taken straight from the press this freshly pressed oil has all the natural flavors left inside the oil. Don’t get left without our amazing hand picked olive oil from our Castle team. Cold Pressed under 50 degrees, harvested locally from the Castello’s own estate vineyard. These freshly pressed oils have a robust taste and polyphenols galore. In short, olio nuovo is olive oil in its most intense, raw state. Here at the Castle, we are one of the first in the Napa Valley to sell Olio Nuovo.

Made exclusively from olives harvested at our own Morning Dew Ranch estate property in the Anderson Valley, Mendocino County. These mature olive trees grow on a small patch of sloped hillside adjacent to some of the Castello’s most prized Pinot Noir vines. Under the watchful eyes and with the help of both our Winemaker and Vineyard Manager, the harvest was done by hand on a single foggy morning, by the same dedicated team that cares for our grapevines on the secluded and serene ranch. Check out our video below!


Our Olio Nuovo is used best as a finishing oil and a dipping oil; enjoy it drizzled on salads, pasta, salami and cheese, or over grilled meat or fish. Delicious simply as a dip with salt and bread. It is only available seasonally, for a limited time.

“We wish we could sell Olio Nuovo all year, but the tiny olive particles that give the oil vibrant flavors must be filtered out so that our EVOO can be bottled and enjoyed throughout the year. Limited availability, get it before it sells out! Olive Oil at its freshest and boldest! “

– Castello President Georg Salzner

Olive Oil
Shop Now


Castello di Amorosa dessert recipe

Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes

Castello di Amorosa dessert recipe

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

Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes Recipe

From Pastry Tales

Our friends from Pastry Tales bring us another sweet dessert recipe! These chocolate red wine cupcakes are topped with a delicious homemade blackberry buttercream frosting that pairs perfectly with any dark fruit wine.

Yield 26 cupcakes (You can cut the ingredients in half if you want less amount of cupcakes) 

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cocoa powder

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup white granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup red wine

For the frosting:

2 cups fresh blackberries

3 teaspoons granulated sugar

juice of 1 lemon

2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 – 4  cups powdered sugar,sifted

2-3 tablespoons of cream

For decorating:

Fresh blackberries or sprinkles

Instructions:

For the cupcakes:

1.- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners, set aside.

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

3.- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix eggs, buttermilk, olive oil and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed for about a minute until combined.

4.- Add flour mixture to the bowl and combine on low speed, gradually increasing speed to medium, until completely combined. Add wine and beat to combine again for about 1 minute.
Pour batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a a moist crumb.
Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Be careful with how you handle the cupcakes, if they are still warm they can be soft and they can break.

For the frosting:

1.- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add blackberries, sugar and lemon juice, frequently stirring and squishing blackberries. Stir until blackberries are soft, about 10 minutes.
Push the mixture through a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl to remove all the seeds. Put the bowl in the fridge so it cools completely.

2.-In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth for a couple of minutes. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, salt and half of the blackberry juice. Mix well until is fluffy. Add 2 tablespoons of the cream (for me 2 tablespoons was enough). Add more powdered sugar, mix well. Taste the buttercream and see if you need more of the blackberry juice, check the texture and flavor. I used almost all the juice. Beat well until completely combined and fluffy.

3.- Frost the cupcakes. I used 1 M Wilton tip.

Enjoy!! Don’t forget to grab a glass of your favorite Castello di Amorosa Wine




Cheesecake Squares Recipe

Vanilla Cheesecake Squares with Wine Gelée

Cheesecake Squares Recipe

Recipe Date: January 22nd, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Vanilla Cheesecake Squares w/ Wine Gelée

From Pastry Tales

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 cup vanilla animal crackers, crumbs
  •  5 – 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  •  1 1/2 tablespoons white granulated sugar

For the cheesecake

  • 12 oz cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek Yoghurt
  •  1 cup sweetened condensed milk
  •  1 large egg, at room temperature
  •  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  •  Pinch of salt

For wine gelée

  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  •  3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine
  •  2 tablespoons hot water
  •  5 tablespoons sugar

Directions

For the crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 8×8 square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving 2 sides hanging over the edges.
  2. In a blender or food processor, mix the animal crackers until they look like fine crumbs. Then, put the crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter and sugar. Mix well.
  3.  Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Make sure that you spread it evenly.
  4.  Bake for 10 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack.

For the cheesecake

  • In a bowl of a stand up mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 3 minutes. Then, add the yoghurt and condensed milk. Mix it well for about 2-3 minutes.
  •  2.- Add the egg, flour, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until well combined 2-3 more minutes.
  •  3.- Pour cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the filling is set.
  •  4.- Let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack and then chill it in the fridge for about 2 hours.

For the wine gelée

  • 1.- After a couple of hours, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup of wine and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • 2.- In another small bowl, stir in sugar and hot water. Add the sugar water into the wine gelatin mixture, mix well until the gelatin is completely melted. Add the reminaing wine and cool the mixture to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
  •  3.- Finally, pour the wine mixture on the top of the cooled vanilla cheesecake bars. Refrigerate overnight and serve next day.
  •  4.- I cut mine in 16 squares. Enjoy!!




Tour Tuscany & Umbria

Tour Tuscany & Umbria

Tour Tuscany & Umbria

Tour of the Hill & Towns Countryside of Tuscany and Umbria

May 9th to 17th, 2024 (SOLD OUT)
Sep 18th to 26th, 2024 (SOLD OUT)
Sep 26th to Oct 4th, 2024 (SOLD OUT)
April 23 to May 1, 2025 (BOOK NOW)
October 25 to November 2, 2025 (BOOK NOW)

For eight nights, you can have the exclusive opportunity to be escorted through the most magical parts of Tuscany and Umbria by Castello delle Serre and the Castello di Amorosa wine family. We invite you to join in this intimate collaboration and cultural experience with the most influential perspectives of food, wine and history of Italy. We assure you that you will relish in the most authentic meals and local experiences during this stay, effectively capturing the essence of la dolce vita only as a true Italian could.

Guests explore charming villages, farmhouses, majestic castles and the beautiful architecture of churches and monasteries. You’ll taste some of the world’s finest olive oils, wines, learn how the Italians cook, and eat meals you’ll remember for a lifetime.

The Tour Will Include

♦ All meals (continental breakfast, lunch and evening meal)
♦ Beverages included with meals and select outings
♦ Bilingual local tour guides
♦ Bus Transportation
♦ Eight nights lodging in a premium Italian Castle and a Historic Inn
♦ Sightseeing, tours, museums
♦ Wine and olive oil tastings
♦ Cooking Demonstrations

The Tour Will Not Include

♦ Air Transportation
♦ Travel Insurance
♦ Laundry
♦ Telephone Charges, Room Service
♦ Gratuity to Local tour guides and bus driver

$5,595 per person (each room is double occupancy)

MORE INFOBUY NOW


Best Tasting Room

Castello di Amorosa named Best Tasting Room in America

Bradley Aden

September 24th, 2019

USA Today’s 10 Best names Castello di Amorosa “Best Tasting Room” In America

When the announcement came in at 9:00 a.m. on August 23th, the trumpeters from Calistoga High School blared and the Castello team that had gathered on the drawbridge went wild. In some respects, we had a collective feeling of, “yes, we’ve arrived.” We asked our members to vote and they responded resoundingly. And when the voting period ended, it was Castello di Amorosa, Dario Sattui’s authentically built, 14th century Tuscan castle and winery- one of Napa Valley’s landmark destinations- that received top honors in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice, being named “Best Tasting Room 2019”  This is quite an honor to be nominated and quite humbling that we won!

“When we opened the doors almost thirteen years ago, I wondered how my castle would be received, as it was so unorthodox a concept,” remembers Dario Sattui. “Today we have a collection of superb estate vineyards and highly acclaimed wines. Just recently our Morisoli-Borges Cabernet Sauvignon received 98 points from Jeb Dunnuck and our single-vineyard Melanson Cabernet Sauvignon received 97 points from The Wine Advocate. Our wonderful guests respect and enjoy the fact that our wines are only available at the winery or can be shipped directly to your home or business.”

The wine industry experts who partnered with 10 Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees included Jill Barth, Shana Clarke, Ziggy Eschliman, Karen MacNeil, June Rodil and Dynie Sanderson.

We hope you’ll bring your family and friends to enjoy a winetasting or winery tour in the Best Tasting Room in America.

Castello di Amorosa


Seahawks at the Castle

Seattle Seahawks at the Castle

Bradley Aden

September 21st, 2019

Seattle Seahawks at the Castle!

Castello di Amorosa recently had the honor of hosting the 2014 Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks. The Castle was featured in the teams introduction video for the upcoming NFL season, the video will be played before every home game of 2019 at Century Link Field in Seattle. Check it out below to see for yourself. Click here or the picture below to watch the video!