Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red・Amuse Bouche・2015

Van Perdue, the ultimate expression of Napa Valley

Amuse Bouche is a winery founded by Heidi Barrett, who has created many legendary wines such as Maya and Screaming Eagle, together with John Schwartz, who has over 25 years of experience in the wine and food industry. A brewer with a strong sense of responsibility, she doesn't want to lend her name to something she doesn't understand well, and only accepts jobs that she is satisfied with. In addition, there are two types of work that she does: consulting work and brewing business.In consulting work, she is only involved as the general manager of a winery that already has a brewer, or as a consultant when there is a problem, but in the brewing family business, She is responsible for the entire winemaking process, from deciding the harvest time to bottling. Heidi Barrett decided to become deeply involved in Amuse Bouche, not only as a brewer but also as an owner, because she saw the potential of a particular field's Merlot to become an exceptional wine. It was in 2002 that Heidi hired Jim Barber, whom she trusted immensely, as the cultivation manager, and created the first amuse bouche to compete with the best Pomerol wines. Due to security concerns, this wine, which is only revealed to be located on the east side of Napa Valley, is now considered one of Napa Valley's best Merlots. And in 2005, Van Perdue was born, the ultimate Napa Valley expression of the one-of-a-kind Heidi Barrett. As Wine Advocate praises, saying, ``Heidi Barrett's true character is demonstrated,'' this is a new masterpiece that you must drink when talking about her wines.

Au Some, the pinnacle of mountain cabernet
On the other hand, Eau Some is a great Cabernet Sauvignon produced by this great trio. The first vintage was produced in 2008 after several years of planning.The vineyard is located in Atlas Peak, the highest appellation in Napa Valley in the Vaca Mountains on the east side of Napa Valley. do. Of the approximately 18ha of land owned, the vineyard is approximately 2.8ha. Grapes are grown under a unique microclimate, surrounded by beautiful scenery where sheep and horses play. As stated on the label, this vineyard is located on a west-facing slope at an elevation of 2,100 feet (630 m). Because the area is at a high altitude where the fog from the Pacific Ocean does not reach, it receives more sunlight than fields in the valley, and is particularly illuminated by the western sun from midday to evening. Meanwhile, the cool climate of the highlands tempers the excessive heat, allowing grapes to ripen slowly over time, resulting in wines with powerful fruit, firm tannins, and cool nuances. Moreover, the strong volcanic soil with thin topsoil suppresses the vigor of the vines, resulting in low yields of fruit with outstanding varietal character, as well as a unique minerality that characterizes the wines. Eau Somet is a wine that can be said to be the pinnacle of mountain cabernet, condensing the unique mountain character of Atlas Peak into the cabernet sauvignon that Heidi Barrett specializes in.

Pharaoh Mons was established as part of the “Delight the Mouth” project.
In between these two projects, one cannot miss Pharaoh Mon's, founded in Paso Robles by co-owner John Schwartz as part of a project that literally ``delights the palate'' and is in the vein of the amuse bouche. When looking for the best Syrah in California, where is the best place? He ended up in Paso Robles, a region with a terroir approved by the Perrin family of Beaucastel, a major Rhône powerhouse. This Central Coast appellation is located right between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Unusual in California, the soil is rich in limestone, with a variety of clay, marl, and shale, and the temperature difference is so great that the summer daytime temperature can reach up to 40 degrees, but the temperature can drop below 5 degrees at night. The climate allows you to wait until November to harvest. Pharaoh Mone's vineyards are located in the western region of Paso Robles, which is said to be the best wine-producing region.The soil is rich in limestone and clay, and the climate is much influenced by the sea and is cooler than the eastern region. Cultivation and brewing are handled by Guillaume Fabre, who moved from France to California in search of free winemaking without being bound by rules, and studied under Stéphane Aseo of L'Aventure, one of Paso Robles' best producers. There is.