Growing up in Napa Valley in a winemaking family, Heidi Barrett was destined to become one of California’s leading winemakers. Graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. Degree in Fermentation Science in 1980, Heidi has exposed herself to a wide range of winemaking experiences and started making her own wine in 1994.

In 2002, she found Amuse Bouche, commonly known as the Pomerol-inspired Merlot from Napa Valley with her longtime friend, John Schwartz. Recognizing that the cult wine phenomenon has created an almost aspirational class structure among collectors, the partners decided to make this limited-edition wine available to a much broader consumer base.

Heidi Barrett has been a wine judge at various competitions over the last 20 years, was president of Napa Valley Wine Tech, and has graced the covers of both The Wine News and The Wine Enthusiast. She has been a featured guest on several television programs, was winemaker of the year, made Parker’s list of wine personalities of the year 1994,1995 and is on Parker’s wine heroines list of 1998. Parker has dubbed her the “first lady of wine”.

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Amuse Bouche Au Sommet 2021

$440.00
"Blackberries, dark plums, cedar, dried herbs, stones and forest floor on the nose follow through to a full body with plush tannins and texture. It's rich yet balanced with a fresh array of blackberries at the center an a constant frame of spices bringing vitality and giving lift to a juicy fruit on the palate. Well crafted and harmonious with a precise, long finish." - James Suckling, November 2023 "The 2021 Au Sommet is a classy, elegant wine, and also one of the most restrained Cabernets readers will find on Atlas Peak. Blood orange, mint, exotic spice and dried flowers add nuance to a host of dark red fruit flavors. Medium in body and driving, the 2021 is wonderfully vibrant from beginning to end. The long, translucent finish rounds things out in style. Give this a few years to soften." - Antonio Galloni, December 2023
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Amuse Bouche Prêt à Boire Rosé 2022

$119.00
We are pleased to offer you, loyal devotees of wine à la française, our 2022 Prêt à Boire Napa Valley from our Napa Valley vineyards. The expression prêt à boire (ready to drink) celebrates a wine that you can savor now, in the moment — instant gratification with no need for cellar aging. And to further expedite your enjoyment of this wine, we will include a complimentary pink dog corkscrew with your six-pack Made in the southern French style, the 2022 Prêt à Boire is composed of 66.5% Grenache and 33.5% Syrah. Pale salmon pink in color, this rosé wine is crisp, dry, and energetic, offering beautiful aromas of potpourri, watermelon rind and raspberry tart.

THE ARTIST

Some of you may not be aware that the world lost George Rodrigue on December 14, 2013. He was 69 years old. George, and his wife Wendy, have been dear friends of ours since 2005 when we initially commissioned George to paint a "blue dog" for our 2006 Amuse Bouche release. A native of Louisiana, George launched his painting career in the 1960s. He was not only a magnificent artist; George was a true community leader, philanthropist and advocate of arts education, inspiring a new generation of artists through the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts. Our hearts are heavy with George's absence. We are fortunate to be able to surround ourselves with so many vivid, vibrant reminders of his beautiful, whimsical outlook on life.
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Vin Perdu Napa Valley Red Blend 2021

$188.00
We've all asked ourselves the proverbial question: If I were stranded on an island with only one bottle of wine, what bottle would that be This age-old and daunting conundrum inspired this year's label. You will find that the label not only tackles the question (man stranded, what to drink) but… with a mere twist of the wrist — or a quick flip of the lenticular image — it also poses a solution: drink more wine while the going is good! Why wait for the cliche stranding, the next climate event, economic upheaval? We produce Vin Perdu, our "lost wine," with the philosophy that no good wine should be wasted, and we all should seize every moment lest we lose them forever. After a two-year hiatus due to the smoke-tainted vintage in 2020, we are pleased to offer you an allocation of Vin Perdu 2021 Napa Valley Red Blend. This wine sells out quickly due to its deliciously complex contents, great-value price point and one-of-kind label. Please note that this product is ONLY available for PRE-ORDER. All delivery dates are automatically superseded by the expected release date.
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Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red Blend 2021

$430.00
It is with great honor and excitement that we offer you the 2021 vintage of Amuse Bouche, featuring artwork by renowned French artist Marc Clauzade. His piece entitled "Casse Croute" (which roughly translates to "tasty snack") portrays the beautiful chaos of a kitchen scene — its vibrant colors an apt illustration of Julia Child’s famous quote. You may remember that Marc's portrayal of the lady in the red dress, "Le Bar a Vin," adorned our label more than a decade ago. The 2021 harvest was excellent, but our overall production was down 35% (smaller berries but loaded with flavor) due to the persistent drought conditions of this growing season. Amuse Bouche 2021, crafted in the Pomerol-style, is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc from our vineyards in the east Rutherford Hills of Napa Valley.
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Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red Blend 2015

$490.00
Napa Valley’s 2015 vintage was marked by grape yields historically smaller in quantity but exceptional in quality. Circumstances allowed winemaker, Heidi Barrett to create a masterpiece in a bottle – and not just any bttle. Our Amuse Bouche 2015 label is graced with astonishing artwork entitled Le Pique-Nique by Jacques Pepin. A longtime friend of ours, Jacques is a world renowned chef whose impactful work in the culinary world spans more than 6 decades. His most recent awards include the inaugural Julia Chi;s Award and the American Public Television’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In our world, there is no trinity quire so holy as that of wine, food & art. These pleasures – three of life’s greatest – come together harmoniously as we proudly offer your six-bottle allocation of Amuse Bouche 2015. Made in the Pomerol style, this year’s blend is 88% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc from our vineyard on Rutherford’s eastern hillside.
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Amuse Bouche Prêt à Boire Rosé 2021

$119.00
Made in the southern French style, the 2021 Prêt à Boire Rosé is a Grenache and Syrah blend. Pale salmon pink in color, it offers beautiful aromas of potpourri, raspberry tart and fresh cherries, with hints of baking spices and cracked black pepper. It remains the only rosé produced in the US that garners 90+ point ratings from all the top wine critics. Some of you may not be aware that the world lost George Rodrigue on December 14, 2013. He was 69 years old. George, and his wife Wendy, have been dear friends of ours since 2005 when we initially commissioned George to paint a "blue dog" for our 2006 Amuse Bouche release. A native of Louisiana, George launched his painting career in the 1960s. He was not only a magnificent artist; George was a true community leader, philanthropist and advocate of arts education, inspiring a new generation of artists through the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts. "Cherry-colored rosé with aromas of plum stones, raspberries, watermelon, sweet spices and dried flowers. Medium-to full-bodied with bright acidity and just a hint of tannin texture. Dry. Grenache and syrah. Drink now." - James Suckling, October 2021
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Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red Blend 2019

$430.00
For the 2019 vintage of Amuse Bouche, it features the artwork by one the most prominent artists of our time. Françoise Gilot, born in 1921, is a decorated French painter perhaps best known for her long, stormy relationship with Pablo Picasso, with whom she had two children, Claude and Paloma. Gilot is highly regarded as an international artist of the second half of the twentieth century. She has exhibited her work for more than 50 years in the major art centers of Europe, Asia, and North America. She was awarded the French Order of Arts and Letters with rank of Commander in 1988, the French Legion of Honor with rank of Chevalier in 1990, and the rank of Officer in the National Order of Merit by the president of France in 1996. Amuse Bouche 2019 is crafted in the Pomerol-style, is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc from our vineyards in the east Rutherford Hills of Napa Valley. "The 2019 Amuse Bouche, a Right Bank-inspired Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend is superb. Expansive, sweet aromatics are immediately seductive. Silky tannins wrap around a core of plum fruit, sweet tobacco, chocolate, spice and leather. This wonderfully expressive, elegant Napa Valley red hits all the right notes in a mid-weight, nuanced style that is all class." - Antonio Galloni, January 2022 "This is a beautiful, juicy, merlot-based red with melted-chocolate and berry aromas and flavors. It’s full and creamy with lovely balance and attractive character, showing freshness and layers of fruit. Violets and berries at the end. Merlot and cabernet franc. Gorgeous. Drink or hold." - 95 points, James Suckling
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Richard G Peterson Pinot Noir 2019

$139.00
As history and legend purport, the Wrotham clone was discovered near Wrotham Village in southeast England; the cuttings were introduced there by the Romans some 2,000 years ago. The Wrotham clone produces a uniquely rich colour and a spicy character not often found in other Pinot Noir wines. In 1980, Dick Peterson brought the first and only Wrotham cuttings back to California and planted them in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA just south of Monterey Bay. This region boasts a cool climate and one of the longest growing seasons in California. Dick Peterson has been an innovator in the California wine industry since the 1960s. As a young man, he produced novel products such as the first wine cooler for Seagrams and Gallo’s Hearty Burgundy. He was pivotal to the success of a portfolio of wineries, including Beaulieu Vineyards with Andre Tchelistcheff, the Monterey Vineyard, Atlas Peak Vineyards and Folie à Deux Winery. Aged 14 months in burgundy oak barrels.
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