Amuse Bouche

In a region long defined by Cabernet Sauvignon, Amuse Bouche has chosen a different identity. Founded in 2002 by winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett and vintner John Schwartz, the label set out to challenge long-held assumptions about what Napa Valley Merlot could be. At its core, Amuse Bouche is an intersection of classic great Merlot and artistic expression — a wine conceived to stand alongside the great wines of Pomerol while remaining unmistakably Californian in spirit.

Rive Droite

John Schwartz's path to founding Amuse Bouche began well before Napa Valley entered the picture. Growing up in a wine-curious household, he recalls early exposure to the culture surrounding fine bottles. "My dad was part of the Medical Friends of Wine Society," he explains. "I grew up serving wine and sipping it at a very young age. Later, I lived in France, went to cooking school, and drank a lot of wine — still under 21."

Professional experience soon followed. In the late 1980s, Schwartz worked in Tokyo for a major trading company importing Napa Valley wines, helping introduce Asian consumers to California's emerging fine-wine scene. By the 1990s, he had transitioned into export and international joint-venture roles for a large California winery, gaining a global perspective that would later inform Amuse Bouche's positioning.

Heidi Peterson Barrett

The partnership with Heidi Peterson Barrett emerged from longstanding personal and professional connections. Schwartz's father was close friends with Barrett's father, renowned viticulturist Dr. Richard G. Peterson, and by the mid-1990s, the two began discussing a collaboration that would depart from Napa's prevailing Cabernet conversation.

"In the mid '90s, Heidi and I decided to start Amuse Bouche to dispel the notion that Napa Valley could not make a world-class Merlot blend," Schwartz says. "We wanted to shake things up in Cab country."

Barrett, whose résumé includes formative work at Dalla Valle and Screaming Eagle, brought both technical rigor and an intuitive approach to blending. Together, they envisioned a wine inspired by the structure and perfume of Pomerol rather than the opulence often associated with Napa Valley reds.

The flagship Amuse Bouche proprietary red is built around Merlot, typically comprising roughly 92–95% of the blend, complemented by Cabernet Franc. The fruit is sourced primarily from hillside vineyards above eastern Rutherford, where elevations around 1,500 feet and rocky volcanic soils contribute both structure and aromatic lift.

"Our Merlot vineyards are in the east Rutherford Hills," Schwartz explains. "They sit on rocky, volcanic soils, while our Cabernet Franc comes from the valley floor. The proportions change modestly each vintage, but the goal is always the same — to craft the best Pomerol-style wine possible in Napa Valley."

Barrett's winemaking philosophy leans toward balance and restraint. Rather than pursuing the densely extracted, high-octane style that defined parts of Napa during the early 2000s, the wines emphasize texture and finesse.

"Our style has always been balanced," Schwartz says. "Approachable when released but structured to age for the long run — perfumy on the nose and pretty on the palate, with strong tannic components that give flesh and finish. Heidi makes wines in a European or old Napa Valley style. We don't make heavy-hitting, explosive wines. They're tempered in alcohol and seamless in the mouth."

That approach has resulted in a consistent aromatic signature across vintages, often featuring notes of red licorice, raw coffee bean, dried flower petals, and melted chocolate layered over plush fruit. The wines' composure has made them particularly appealing to collectors seeking refinement rather than sheer power.

While the proprietary red remains the centerpiece, the Amuse Bouche portfolio has evolved over time to showcase different facets of Barrett's craft.

Vin Perdu incorporates a broader palette of Bordeaux varietals – usually employing more Cabernet Sauvignon – and provides a vintage interpretation outside the flagship's Merlot emphasis. Meanwhile, Prêt à Boire Rosé is what it says – a ready-to-drink, fresh, fun expression of the Amuse Bouche style, composed mainly of Grenache.

Production remains intentionally limited — only a few thousand cases per vintage. Early releases were even more constrained, reflecting both vineyard yields and Barrett's meticulous barrel selection.

Schwartz and Barret have playfully integrated their love of art into the brand's identity. Each vintage features a commissioned work by an internationally recognized artist, hand-signed and numbered.

"Because both Heidi and I are collectors of fine art — and she's a great artist herself — we decided to merge these two loves," Schwartz says. "We were the first to do this in California. Our customers often know the wine by artist rather than by vintage."

The philosophy reflects a broader belief that wine is not merely an agricultural product but a form of storytelling. The labels become an extension of the narrative behind each release, reinforcing the connection between creative expression in the vineyard, the cellar, and the wider cultural world.

At its core, Amuse Bouche offers wines shaped by European sensibility, Napa Valley ambition, and a shared belief that elegance, imagination, and art still have a place at the highest levels of the modern wine world.