We feel like we have rediscovered our love affair with Amuse Bouche. Year after year, this supple and alluring Merlot-based wine is a standout. How could it not be? With winemaker Heidi Barrett at the helm, and with impeccable farming behind each grape, it is destined to be a wine of superior quality.
All that said, when we tasted the 2015 recently, we were blown away. We felt like we were discovering this amazing wine for the very first time. Velvety smooth texture from start to finish, Merlot’s hallmark structure enrobed in elegant, polished tannins; damson plums, black cherries, and creamy milk chocolate build layers upon layers of complexity. Deep, warming, soft spiciness and a purity of expression kept me coming back to the glass again and again. Can you tell that we adore this wine?
A refresher about the Amuse Bouche legacy: restauranteur and philanthropist John Schwartz's original project began when he wanted to create a 'Pomerol-style' wine in the Napa Valley and called upon his childhood friend and 'super star' winemaker Heidi Barrett to lead the way. Coming from Heidi's best grape sources in the Napa Valley, they wanted to create a 'masterpiece' that focused on Merlot and Cabernet Franc that would rival its greatest cross-Atlantic counterparts, such as Chateau Petrus and Chateau Le Pin. Mission accomplished... Let this wine remain a testament to Merlot’s status as a noble grape. A friend recently said to me that for a grape to be a noble, it must travel. This, our quintessential Napa Valley Merlot (88% Merlot, in fact, with 12% Cabernet Franc), is without a doubt as good as anything from Bordeaux, with the added flourish of California sunshine in the glass.
