2023 Amuse Bouche Proprietary Red Napa Valley 6pk 6x750

Heidi Barrett — the winemaker behind Screaming Eagle and two perfect 100-point scores — crafts this Pomerol-inspired Napa Merlot. 96 Suckling, 95 Perrotti-Brown, dual 94s. From one of the best Napa vintages on record.

2023 Amuse Bouche Proprietary Red Napa Valley 6pk 6x750

Heidi Barrett — the winemaker behind Screaming Eagle and two perfect 100-point scores — crafts this Pomerol-inspired Napa Merlot. 96 Suckling, 95 Perrotti-Brown, dual 94s. From one of the best Napa vintages on record.

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100pt Winemaker Heidi Barrett (Screaming Eagle First Wnmkr)
The Woman Behind Five Perfect 100-Point Scores
"The Vintage of a Lifetime" ~97pt Wine Spectator
96 Suckling, 95 Perrotti-Brown M.W., 94 Wine Advocate, 94 Vinous

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2023 Amuse Bouche Proprietary Red Napa Valley 6pk 6x750

$1,350

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About The Wine

This is what happens when one of Napa Valley's most celebrated winemakers turns her attention to Merlot. Heidi Barrett — the woman Robert Parker dubbed "the first lady of wine" — is the same winemaker behind Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle's Maya, and two perfect 100-point Parker scores. A single bottle of her wine once sold for $500,000 at auction. When she makes a Pomerol-inspired blend from Napa's east Rutherford hills, it carries that same uncompromising standard.

The 2023 vintage is considered one of the best in Napa Valley's history. A long, mild growing season with above-average winter rainfall allowed the grapes to ripen slowly through mid and late October, building rich tannins and layered flavors. For this wine, that translates to 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc with a rare combination of silky texture and structural integrity.

Jim Gordon at James Suckling awarded it 96 points: "Sleek, delicious, well-balanced and drinkable, yet nicely structured with good fruit acidity and moderate tannins. So linear, fresh and lively, yet silky in texture." Lisa Perrotti-Brown M.W. gave it 95 points, noting "juicy black plums, green coffee beans, and ripe black cherries, plus nuances of fragrant soil and bay leaves." Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Antonio Galloni at Vinous both scored it 94 points, with Galloni calling it "elegant, restrained, and super expressive."

The Barrett family runs deep in Napa — Heidi's husband Bo is the winemaker at Chateau Montelena, the winery that won the 1976 Judgment of Paris. This is California wine royalty. The 2023 Amuse Bouche delivers on that pedigree immediately, with a velvety palate, juicy black-fruit flavors, and a savory lift on the finish. It's built to drink now and to cellar — the kind of Merlot that makes the category relevant again.

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At A Glance

Varietal:: Merlot
Varietal:: Cabernet Franc
Region:: Napa Valley
Alcohol:: 13.5%
Size:: 750ml

TASTING NOTES

What's in the Glass

PAIRS WITH: Red Meat · Grilled Meat

Mouthfeel & Acidity

Light Body Full Body

Low Acidity High Acidity

Soft Tannins Firm Tannins

Dry Sweet

Light cherries and cream at first, then black cherries, blackcurrants, and juicy black plums. Layers of green coffee beans, fragrant soil, bay leaves, mocha, and lavender. Silky, velvety texture with good fruit acidity and moderate tannins. The finish is long, slightly tart, and savory — fresh, lively, and persistent.

CRITIC REVIEWS

What the Critics Said

Sleek, delicious, well-balanced and drinkable, yet nicely structured with good fruit acidity and moderate tannins. So linear, fresh and lively, yet silky in texture. Light cherries and cream at first, then black cherries and blackcurrants as you sip. 92% merlot and 8% cabernet franc. A beautiful, composed and complete wine since the first vintage in 2002. Drink or hold. ~96 Jim Gordon, Executive Editor, James Suckling
The 2023 Amuse Bouche is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it swans out of the glass with notes of juicy black plums, green coffee beans, and ripe black cherries, plus nuances of fragrant soil and bay leaves. The full-bodied palate is velvety-textured and refreshing with juicy black-fruit flavors and a savory lift on the finish. ~95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown M.W., The Wine Palate
The 2023 Amuse Bouche is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it swans out of the glass with notes of juicy black plums, green coffee beans, and ripe black cherries, plus nuances of fragrant soil and bay leaves. The full-bodied palate is velvety-textured and refreshing with juicy black-fruit flavors and a savory lift on the finish. ~95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown M.W.
A blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley's eastern hills, Amuse Bouche's 2023 Red Wine continues the line of top-flight Merlots under this Heidi Barrett-made label. Gentle herbal-floral nuances add complexity to the ripe cherries on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is plush and silky and finishes long and a bit tart, giving it a great sense of liveliness and freshness. ~94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Amuse Bouche is elegant, restrained, and super expressive. Dark red/purplish-toned fruit, spice, mocha and lavender all grace this wonderfully open-knit, seductive wine. Understated and reserved, the 2023 impresses with its sneaky persistence and long, refined finish. I have seen this wine blossom with time in bottle, and I expect that will be the case here as well. ~94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous