2022 Amuse Bouche Richard G. Peterson Pinot Noir

Amuse Bouche was founded in 2002 when renowned Napa Valley winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett and her friend John Schwartz decided to create a Pomerol-inspired Merlot from Napa Valley. Barrett grew up in the Napa Valley and has worked for numerous Napa Valley producers. She became a head winemaker at Buehler Vineyards at age 25, and went on to work in freelance winemaking. She was later hired as winemaker at Dalla Valle and consulted at many other wineries. In 1994 she started making La Sirena, a Sangiovese. Amuse Bouche is typically 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Barrett selects original artwork for each vintage’s distinctive label.

Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a 12-mile long, narrow strip of an appellation wedged along the eastern hillsides of the Santa Lucia mountain range. Given its proximity to Big Sur and the Gabilan Mountain Range to the northeast, Santa Lucia a cool-climate wine growing district. Morning sun is often followed by maritime winds and fog in the afternoon, a weather pattern that prolongs the growing season and means long, gentle ripening of the grapes. Spanish missionaries planted vineyards in the district in the 18th century, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that modern winemakers planted vineyards and began making high quality wine. The district received AVA status in 1991 and today there are 6,000 vineyard acres in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Pinot Noir is the dominant grape planted, followed by Chardonnay and Riesling.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.