Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Primarily Merlot blended with a small amount of Cabernet Franc, Amuse Bouche’s Merlot is packaged in a heavy, artisanal bottle displaying the artwork of Guy Buffet on the label. It is a classic, high quality Merlot with an opaque ruby/purple color as well as notes of sweet cherries, Asian plum sauce, and hints of camphor and ink. The fragrant aromatics are followed by a medium to full-bodied wine revealing gorgeous fruit, purity, glycerin and texture. This 2002 appears to have hit full maturity and should drink well for another decade given its level of concentration and balance.
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Wine Spectator
Ultraripe and showy, with juicy wild berry, blackberry and currant flavors that are complex and concentrated, with a tight focus and a long, lingering aftertaste. Not shy about the use of toasty oak; the wood folds in nicely. A touch of heat on the finish underscores the ripeness, and it has ample tannins. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.