Building a successful Napa Valley winery is hard to do. Building a historically accurate authentically-styled, 13th-century medieval Tuscan-style castle is taking your dreams and ideas to the next level. Dario Sattui has done just that. As a child, he was fascinated by the stories and photos of the old winery his great-grandfather and San Francisco California pioneer vintner, Vittorio Sattui had built. Dario was an entrepreneur and loved playing sports. He started various businesses in grammar school, high school, and college and gained valuable experience in the basics of business but the dream of re-establishing his great grandfather’s original V. Sattui winery which had been dormant for more than 50 years remained. With $8,000 and a novel approach to the wine business he re-opened V. Sattui winery in St. Helena and turned a profit in the first year of operation.
But the dreams he had didn't stop there. Following graduation, Dario traveled around Europe for two years in an old VW van. It was during this period his fascination for medieval architecture began to take shape. Living out of his van, Sattui would visit medieval castles, monasteries, palaces farmhouses, and wineries studying their designs, taking photographs, and completing detailed sketches and renderings. Taking what he learned in Europe, he purchased a 171-acre vineyard property in Calistoga in 1993 and began construction of Castello di Amorosa Winery in 1994.
In today's episode, Dario shares the story of V. Sattui Winery, Castello di Amorosa Winery, tips on how you can turn your dreams and ideas into reality, how to stand out in the crowded wine industry, taking risks when others think you are crazy, following your passions, and more.
Links
Castello Di Amorosa
V. Sattui
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