Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red Blend 2021
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.
Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red Blend 2015
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.
Tignanello 2019
Tignanello was the first Sangiovese to be aged in barriques, the first contemporary red wine blended with untraditional varieties (specifically Cabernet) and one of the first red wines in the Chianti Classico region that didn’t use white grapes. Tignanello is a milestone. It’s produced with a selection of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Extremely perfumed and vivid, with fresh mushrooms, cherry stones and blackberries. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are long and complete. Fresh acidity. Tangy and vibrant.
Almaviva “EPU” 2020
Intense ruby red, the nose reveals stable, frank aromas of ripe cassis, plum and blackberries, associated to mineral hints and fine notes of vanilla, coffee, grilled orange zest, tobacco and cacao. The mouth shows outstanding balance, great acidity, a firm tannic structure, and exceptional persistence. A brilliant wine, elegant, constant and precise in its character, showing a palate of class, with persistent and refined tannins.
Fresh and deep nose, full of blueberries, minty cassis, mussels, cigars, dark spice and roasted sesame oak, which will need a year or two to fully integrate. A medium-to full-bodied Almaviva with supple, silky tannins and a wealth of black and blue fruit that provides a lot of charm now. Voluptuous and flattering on the palate, hallmarked by its tension and taut texture. Very long.
68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenère, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Drinkable now, but better from 2024.
Awards: 98 points, James Suckling
Dalla Valle “MAYA” 2019
The 2019 Insignia marks the first vintage to include fruit from the new Joseph Phelps vineyard named El Venadito, located in the Oak Knoll District, just south of the winery’s Yountville Vineyard. It is aged for 18 Months in 48% New Oak, & 60% 1-2 year old French & American oak barrels.
Colour: A brooding purple-black in color
Nose: Enthralling aromas of crème de cassis, mocha, and Morello cherry draw you in, while supporting notions of wildflowers, unrefined earth, and dried herbs captivate the senses.
Palate: As the wine sits in the glass, facets of tobacco leaf, crushed rock, and blackberry begin to surface, yet you can sense a deeper complexity has yet to fully reveal itself.
Pairings: Hard cheese & red meat
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc
Awards: 100 points, Robert Parker & 100 points, Jeb Dunnuck
Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
2019 Insignia marks the first vintage to include fruit from the new Joseph Phelps vineyard named El Venedito, located in the Oak Knoll District, just south of the winery’s Yountville Vineyard.
The wine was aged for eighteen months in 48% new oak (58% French, 42% American) and 52%
older French and American oak barrels before bottling.
A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with inviting violet, dark fruit, tobacco, subtle baking spice and earthy dried herb aromatics. The palate is filled with expressive black cherry, blackberry and dark plum, hints of spice box and sweet vanilla bean. A focused, concentrated wine with youthful energy and freshness nimbly balanced by supple tannin structure and finesse.
94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Malbec from estate and grower vineyards in St. Helena, south Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District, Stags Leap District and Rutherford in Napa Valley.
Joseph Phelps Insignia 2019
The 2019 Insignia opens with heady aromatics of red fruit, crème de cassis, leafy tobacco and delicate dried rose petals. The palate is juicy and dense with expressive layers of blackberry, raspberry, black currant, and dark chocolate. A dynamic wine offering captivating energy, length, complexity and refinement.
93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec from estate-grown Napa Valley vineyards: 32% Yountville (Oak Knoll District), 23% Banca Dorada (Rutherford), 14% Suscol (South Napa Valley), 14% Home Ranch (St. Helena), 12% Las Rocas (Stags Leap District), 3% Barboza (Stags Leap District), 2% El Venadito (Oak Knoll District).
"Another beautiful wine from this team… It has a classic varietal and incredibly complex nose of crème de cassis, freshly sharpened pencils, green tobacco, and damp earth, with a kiss of background sappy spring flowers. Unquestionably up with the finest vintages of this cuvée, this is legit awesome juice that’s going to offer incredible pleasure over the coming 20-25 years."
- 99 points; Jeb Dunnuck, February 2022
Chateau Tour du Roch-Milon Pauillac 2019
The 2019 Tour du Roch-Milon has a deep garnet-purple color, offering classic cassis, baked plums and cedar chest scents with hints of bouquet garni, pencil lead and lavender. The medium-bodied palate is lively and refreshing, laden with crunchy black fruits with an approachable, grainy texture and an herbal lift on the finish.
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot
Chateau Tour de Marbuzet Saint-Estèphe 2018
Château Tour de Marbuzet is a family-owned estate since 1981 - Château Tour de Marbuzet belongs to Henri Duboscq and his sons, the owners of famous Château Haut-Marbuzet. A tiny vineyard of 8.5 hectares, partly located on the famous « Plateau de Marbuzet », leading to a very small production.
The 2018 Tour de Marbuzet has a deep garnet-purple color, slipping effortlessly from the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant cordial, blueberry preserves and stewed plums plus suggestions of menthol, pencil shavings and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a sturdy frame of grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the muscular black fruits, finishing on an earthy note.
40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc
Chateau Saint-Pierre Esprit de Saint-Pierre 2016
Château Saint Pierre, a discreet but excellent Grand Cru Classé of Saint Julien owned by Henri Martin’s family. A fantastic history! Created in the 17th century, Château Saint Pierre was divided and dispersed due to several successions, and then was restored as originally in 1982 by Henri Martin.
The second wine, Esprit de Saint Pierre is vinified with the same attention as the one paid to the “Grand Vin”. Only 17 hectares of vineyard Château Saint Pierre have always been the smallest Cru Classé in the appellation which leads to limited quantities. A good ability to age as most Saint Julien wines thanks to Cabernet Sauvignon that is giving its best on that gravels terroir in the heart of the Saint Julien village. A very bright and fresh fruit expression Esprit is produced from the young vines of the Grand Cru Classé vineyard.
60% Cabernet Sauvignon , 22% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc
Akarua The Siren Pinot Noir 2021
“The Siren”, Akarua’s super premium cuvee, leaves in its wake a mesmerising and ambitious Pinot Noir. It is composed of the finest parcels from Cairnmuir Road in Bannockburn, where grapevines flourish beautifully in a very windy, very hot and very dry environment. The odyssey of a full-bodied and complex wine, both floral and spicy with enchanting black-berry aromas.
Akarua The Siren complex, sophisticated and powerful flavours make it a perfect match with roast lamb, mushroom based dishes as well as vegetable dishes with a little sweetness and a touch of acidity.
WINEMAKING
Carefully hand harvested grapes were destemmed then fermented on skins for around three weeks. The resulting wine was gently pressed to French oak barrels for maturation.
AGEING
In French oak barrels with 40% of new. One year of bottle age before release.
AGEING DURATION
18 months Varietal: Pinot Noir
Chateau Malartic Lagraviere Rouge 2017
The Grand Cru Classé in red Malartic-Lagravière appellation Pessac-Léognan vintage 2017 keeps all its promises and once again honors the tradition of wines from the Bordeaux region.
The Merlots, with the dry and warm June and July, are fleshy, round and aromatic. After the rains at the end of September, the Cabernets finish refining their tannins, preserving the freshness and thus offering extraordinary complexity, sap and silkiness.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
“Ripe, with succulent plum, cassis and raspberry fruit paste flavors, lined with liquorice and anise details, showing a well-integrated apple wood note on the finish, backed by a light scoring of tar. Exhibits lots of compact energy, so this should unwind nicely in the cellar.” – James Molesworth at Wine Spectator