The story of Mas Amiel
The emperor of naturally sweet wine, and not only that!
The estate's history begins in 1816. Raymond Etienne Amiel won the estate's few historic hectares in a card game against the Bishop of Perpignan. In the 19th century, French vineyards were devastated by phylloxera. To save the vines, Camille Gouzy proposed to theMas Amielto plant American grapevines resistant to phylloxera. Mission accomplished, the estate continues its rise by building a cellar with around twenty large oak casks.
In 1907, the estate was taken over by Charles Dupuy after the Phylloxera crisis. His son and grandson took over the business and began producing a naturally sweet wine.
In 1999 Olivier Decelle, also present atSaint-Emilion and Burgundy,He took over the estate. The property then covered 226 hectares and produced exclusively naturally sweet wine. The winemaker decided to give the estate an international reputation and to develop the range with dry wines.
The Mas Amiel vineyard
Maury, Languedoc Roussillon Vineyard
The estate comprises 170 hectares of vines spread across 130 plots. Within this vast territory, the ecosystem is rich and biodiversity is preserved. The garrigue scrubland, the fauna and flora, and the natural waterways create an ideal biotope and contribute to the healthy growth of the vines. The vines benefit from an ideal and unique climate: 260 days of sunshine per year and 370 mm of rainfall. For the sweet wine, the Grenache grapes are selected at peak ripeness and with a high sugar content. The vineyard is home to numerous local grape varieties: Grenache, Grenache Passerillé, Maccabeu, Carignan, Syrah, Muscat, and Grenache Gris. The appellationMauryThe "sec" label was established in 2011 and has given dry wines from this region their official recognition. Indeed, this vineyard has historically been renowned for the quality of its naturally sweet wines.Mas Amielseeks to preserve this good reputation and develop the awareness of the dry wines of this brand new appellation. Since 2017, the estate has obtained its certificationbiodynamic, biodivine.
Winemaking and wine creation
An extraordinary expertise
For dry winesEach plot is vinified separately without the addition of sulfur. Vinification takes place in 50-hectoliter stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts to preserve the authenticity of the grapes in the final wine. Smaller plots are vinified in 10-hectoliter concrete tanks. This meticulous precision brings great finesse to the wines. The wines are aged in small oak casks, which allow for gentle and natural micro-oxygenation.
Sweet winesare a specialty of the appellationMauryIn 1285, Arnaud de Villeneuve invented themutationThat is, the addition of sugar to the must during winemaking. Fermentation stops, and the wine retains a portion of its natural, unprocessed sugars.Mas Amiellearned to determine the exact moment of mutage so that the dosage of alcohol allows for the preservation of tension, freshness and perfect balance.
Oxidative winesofMas AmielThey undergo the same vinification process as fortified wines and are aged in glass demijohns in the open air. Temperature fluctuations and sunlight impart complex and evolving notes to the wines. They are then aged in large casks before reaching their full maturity.
