We took some better advice and visited Sterling Vineyard in Calistoga. The kids enjoyed the tram ride to the winery, Peter enjoyed the tour, I enjoyed the wine.

Sterling gates

Crush pit at Sterling

Barrels of fun at Sterling

Sterling Winery Tour & Tasting Rooms sign

View of Sterling from the castle

We thought that Sterling was pretty cool, but then we went to the castle. Castello di Amorosa. The $40 million dollar, 120,000 square-foot Tuscan castle built by a fourth-generation Italian winemaker. This guy didn’t seem to spare any expense in the 14 years it took to build the castle, complete with drawbridge, moat, dungeon, torture chamber, chapel, defensive towers, etc. etc. All of the stone was hand-chiseled, all of the iron work hand-forged. It was amazing. Also, you can only buy their wine there, or by mail order.

Castle cat – Sir Lancelot

The castle, viewed from Sterling tram

The castle

Rachel making herself at home at the castle

Puff the Magic Dragon

They lowered the drawbridge for us

Every castle needs a litter box

Weapons in the castle

More weapons in the castle

The torture chamber

The Grand Room, the largest room in the castle

The dungeon

Tasting room at the castle

Summer trapped in a room in the torture chamber

Suit of armor at the castle

Stall door in the ladies room of the castle

Spigot in the ladies room sink

Rachel terrified of the Iron Maiden

Rachel and her new bff

Ladies room at the castle

Girls enjoying their sparkling juice tasting

Fun chair in the torture chamber

Castle helmets

Castle hallway

Old wine that won’t be sold

Wine barrels in the Grand Room