Amuse Bouche

2015 Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red Blend

In our world, there is no trinity quite so holy as that of wine, food and 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 and 12% Cabernet Franc from our vineyard on Rutherford's eastern hillside.

The Wine

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 bottle. Our Amuse Bouche 2015 label is graced with astonishing artwork entitled Le Pique-Nique by Jacques Pépin. A longtime friend of ours, Jacques is a world renowned chef whose impactful work in the culinary world spans more than six decades. His most recent awards include the inaugural Julia Child Award and the American Public Television's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Artist: Jacques Pépin

Our two personal favorites of the 28 cookbooks Jacques has penned are La Méthode and La Technique. These two cookbooks are among the holy grail of culinary education in the 1970s. This is when Americans finally began to step away from meatloaf, macaroni & cheese and shake ‘n bake chicken, instead venturing towards cuisine that Europeans have known for decades. Jacques Pépin and Julia Child redefined the American food scene and we never looked back.

Jacques was born in France in 1935 and from a young age, made the kitchen his home. He was well-established in Europe by the time he made his way to the United States in 1959. A charismatic voice and an iconic figure, his mastery of the kitchen has transcended time and connected the culinary cultures of continents divided by an ocean.

Luckily for us, he also happens to be graceful with a paintbrush. Our striking 2015 label by Jacques exemplifies the sensuous, aesthetic nature of what we believe to be life's pinnacle experiences – the kind where food, wine and breathtaking art abound!