Williamson Wines - Amuse Mélange

Amuse is a Mélange (blended wine) designed by Bill to push the flavors of Bordeaux to the limit with a distinctly amusing twist.

An elegant Bordeaux-style wine comprising fruit from the Napa mountain slopes of Atlas Peak and Pritchard Hill and the Sonoma valleys of Chalk Hill and Dry Creek bringing together a complexity of flavors showing an immediate freshness, charm and elegance on the palate.

Each year Amuse is a different Bordeaux blend vaguely inspired by a significant Bordeaux wine so it is only available until sold out, amusing taste buds and availability.

In 2010 a winemaking colleague attending one of Bill's blending sessions referred to Bill's blending wine selections as "an excess of riches."

Amused by this concept Bill decided to select certain barrels of his wines to make an amusing Bordeaux blend.

Some wine lovers look for vintage consistency. They want the same flavor characteristics from a particular wine each year.

We easily deliver that consistency with our Bordeaux blends maintaining the same flavor components and only allowing the terroir effect of that particular year to show.

Still others continually ask "what's new?"

Wines are traditionally developed in concert with the foods of a particular area. Bordeaux (blended) wines are closely associated with the historical foods of Bordeaux which are different to everyday American cuisine.

This difference stimulated Bill to develop an new wine, blended from the traditional five Bordeaux varieties but in totally different blend configurations each year to invigorate the taste buds for American cuisine and to offer something new for each vintage produced.

The goal with Amuse is to use our Californian Bordeaux-style wines in a blend that is not traditionally Bordeaux and come up with a unique American blend that is actually flavorful, delicious and works with typical foods of America.

Amuse ~ to find something funny - to entertain in a light, playful and pleasant manner.

Mélange ~ Mélange is a French term for a mixture, (from mêler, "to mix"), used especially when the result is attractive or exciting. Applied to American Bordeaux style wines as we do it becomes synonymous with Meritage.