2005 Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Merlot

The 2005 harvest was distinguished by the long hang time on the vines. The wine has completed fermentation and is ageing gracefully in French oak. According to Heidi Barrett, the 2005 harvest delivered some of the most 'lush fruit' she has ever worked with. We anticipate another wine of power and elegance.

The ’05 art is the work of talented American artist Wayne Thiebaud.  Over the course of his 50-year career, Thiebaud has become one of the leading figures in the field of modern American art.  He is best known for his still life paintings of everyday objects – particularly his thickly painted cakes and pies.  His iconic images of food may have stemmed from his beginnings as a freelance cartoonist in 1939.  Reflecting his fondness for fine foods, Mr. Thiebaud has created his own amuse-bouches to adorn our ’05 vintage.  His sensuous texture and warm, luminous palette remind us to seek out layers of texture and taste, to explore beyond the obvious and to revel in the complexity of fine food, wine and art.

Accolades for the 2005 Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Merlot

Napa v Bordeaux
"Better than Bordeaux? Spurrier's Standouts"
* * * * * (5 Star Rating)
"Made by cult winemaker Heidi Barret from 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, silky smooth, a really classy wine. 2008-16"
- Decanter, Steve Spurrier, September 2007
(see full article)