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Mas Amiel
Mas Amiel is the leading independent producer in Maury, a small region within the boundaries of the much larger Rivesaltes appellation. There are only a handful of such independent vignerons, with the local co-operative controlling most of the Maury vignoble. This particular domaine originated in 1816 when Raymond Amiel won the deeds to the property from the Bishop of Perignan in a game of cards. Sadly, for the church at least, there was no divine intervention on the night. The bishop left, fleeced of what could have been a prime source of communion wine, and Mas Amiel was born.
At that time there was little viticulture at the estate, but after Phylloxera the
vineyards were replanted. Thanks to financial difficulties Mas Amiel was sold in
to Charles Dupuy in 1910, and both Dupuy and his son Jean did much to improve quality
at the estate. The next generation, also Charles, continued their work but after
his death in 1997 the estate was sold to Olivier Decelle. Decelle now has a 155 hectare
estate to extol, divided into two sections. Behind the cellars lie 75 hectares, on
slopes up to 150 m altitude, whereas 80 hectares lie further north. The vines are
aged, on average, over 35 years.
For many years only fortified styles were produced at Mas Amiel, largely based on Grenache. Many methods are traditional, including the use of glass demijohns for maturing at least a portion of the harvest (pictured). The Maury Cuvée Spéciale is non-vintage, made from Grenache with a little Maccabeu and Carignan in the traditional style, and comes in ten and fifteen year old bottlings. There is also a vintaged Maury, a recent introduction, made purely from Grenache. This, in my experience, is in the modern style, being packed with fruit, texture and good body and alcohol. Another recent innovation is the development of a sweet Muscat de Rivesaltes, and the expansion of the portfolio beyond Maury and Muscat to include a variety of dry red and white wines under the Côtes du Roussillon appellation or as VdP des Côtes Catalanes.
My most recent tasting of the Mas Amiel portfolio took in everything, from the recently introduced table wines, up to an impressive array of Maury, both non-vintage and vintaged. There were no real disappointments here, and I found the fortified wines, on the whole, to be very good. These are produced in both styles; the fresh, young, fruit-driven, single-vintage modern style, which I admire for its concentration of black fruits, as well as the traditional demijohn-matured non-vintage style, oxidatively handled, which offers more complexity. I also had my eyes opened to two dried grape wines, labelled as Vin de Liqueur, made by leaving the grapes to dry on the soil, immediately they are harvested, for three weeks. (7/2/05, updated 30/5/06)
Contact details:
Address: 66460 Maury
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 68 29 01 02
Fax: +33 (0) 4 68 20 17 82
Mas Amiel - Tasting Notes
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Mas Amiel Côtes du Roussillon Plaisir Blanc 2004: A blend of Grenache
Blanc and Maccabeu, which once fermented spends eight months in steel tanks
prior to bottling. Rather reticent on the nose, just a little herby, but it has
only been in bottle a few months. Full, attractively it is slightly creamy on
the palate, firm with good grippy structure and some lemony acidity. This is
good, and I think it will show better in the next few years. 16+/20 (October
2005)
Mas Amiel VdP des Côtes Catalanes Plaisir 2004: This is solely
Grenache, which spends eight months in tank before bottling. It is a fairly pale
wine in the glass, with a very bright, purple tinged youthful hue. The palate is
rather simple, exhibiting straightforward Grenache cherry fruit, but it has the
necessary grip, albeit rather chalky in character, with a little fatness. A
petit vin, but a good one. For current drinking. 15.5/20 (October 2005)
Mas Amiel Côtes du Roussillon Villages Notre Terre 2004: This is a
blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan, fermented in wood with the
following ten months in barrels, 20% new. At present it is rather reticent on
the nose, although it does show some herby-cherry character. Quite delicate on
the palate, with some wood influence, a little creamy texture, balanced,
seamless even. This is very nice, and with time should open to out reveal its
true quality. 16.5+/20 (October 2005)
Mas Amiel Côtes du Roussillon Altaïr 2003: A blend of Grenache Gris
and Maccabeu which spends ten months in barrel. This is fairly obvious on the
nose at this early stage, dominated as it is by honeyed, butterscotch,
oak-derived aromas. Again, on the palate we have a full, firm, grippy structure
with some spicy oak. This is good, but again it would benefit from more time in
bottle. 16+/20 (October 2005)
Mas Amiel Côtes du Roussillon Carerades 2003: Another blend of
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan, again fermented in wood, but with
eighteen months in barrel thereafter. Much darker colour, and much more
suggestive of Syrah in the nose here as it shows lots of dark fruits with notes
of black pepper. Youthful Syrah fruit on the palate presented in an elegant
style, fine tannic structure, lovely ripeness and a refreshing character. This
is very good. 16.5+/20 (October 2005)
Mas Amiel Maury Blanc 2003: This is 100% Grenache Gris (a pink-berried
vine, possibly a mutation of Grenache Noir), which spends one year in used
barrels after fermentation. Again, like some of the wines here, it is quite
reticent in the nose, but the wines character is a little more revealed on
tasting. The palate is very full and fat, sweet and oily-creamy. There is
slightly peppery acidity although it is on the low side. There is a nice, fresh,
herbaceous finish. Good, but difficult to evaluate at this time. 15-16+/20
(October 2005)
Mas Amiel Maury 2003: A great youthful colour here. Lovely rich,
intense, chocolatey nose. This character follows through onto the palate, which
is fresh and creamy, with pepper and spice notes on top of the sweet, creamy
fruit. It is all presented in a smoothly integrated almost seamless fashion,
with correct acidity. This is very good indeed. 16.5+/20 (October 2005)
Mas Amiel Vin de Liqueur Plenitude Maccabeu 2002: The fruit for this
wine is harvested and then left on the soil for 21 days, so that the grapes dry.
This is an example of a dried grape
wine, although I was not previously familiar with the method! The eventual
yield is a piddling 5 hl/ha, and the residual sugar over 100 g/l.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the nose is intense and characterful. Full, intense,
oily and brimming with concentrated flavour and character on the palate, with
evident richness and just sufficient acidity. There is potential here.
Excellent. 18+/20 (October 2005)
Mas Amiel Vin de Liqueur Vintage Privilege 2002: This is 100%
Grenache, and another example of a wine where harvested grapes have been left to
desiccate on the soil. 180 g/l of residual sugar here. The nose is heady and
intense, full of super-concentrated black fruit aromas. Thick, creamy,
chocolatey palate, showing wonderful blueberry and bramble fruit with a twist of
raspberry on the finish. Delightful impact, and a great length. 17/20 (October
2005)
Mas Amiel Muscat de Rivesaltes 2002: A pale lemon-gold colour in the
glass. The nose is quintessential sweet Muscat, with aromatic, floral notes
alongside the fruit, but with a musky complexity as well. The palate is sweet,
perfumed and floral, but balanced, and the wine keeps its 16% alcohol well
hidden. Doesn't show great complexity, but is certainly a good quaffing Muscat.
Good. 15/20 (February 2005) Label
Mas Amiel Maury 1998: This style of Maury is aimed at younger drinkers who may not
enjoy the rancio style for which the appellation is well known. A deep,
red-black wine. A great nose - full of chocolate, macerated fruits and pickling
spice. The palate has a lovely combination of alcohol, acidity, powerful
fruit-dominated flavours and tannins. Full bodied with a rich, glycerin-edged
mouthfeel, although making a rustic rather than elegant impression.
Nevertheless, immensely enjoyable. Tasted at
Heathcotes.
16.5/20 (August 2002)
Mas Amiel Maury Millésime 1980: A rare treat, an aged, single vintage Maury.
This has a rich, deeply coloured hue. Again, like the ten-year old, this has an
extraordinarily expressive, vegetal, toffee influenced nose. Full, mouthfilling
and quite firm on the palate, with notes of toffee, walnut and spiced raisins.
Very expressive, with a crescendo on the finish, as the wine fans out across the
palate very briefly, then settles into a tremendous length. This is very good
indeed. 17.5+/20 (October 2005)
Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.
Mas Amiel Maury 6 ans d'âge: Current release. This is 80% Grenache, the balance being
Syrah and Mourvèdre. This is made in a very traditional fashion, aged in glass
demijohn for one year, before then going into barrel which is not topped up; the
end result is a wine in the oxidative style. It has a delightful,
caramel-rosewood hue, and a nose of great finesse, revealing notes of toffee,
caramel, burnt embers, rose petals and treacle. Surprisingly light on the
palate, elegant, with fresh and expressive toffee-fringed flavours. Absolutely
packed with character. Very good indeed. 16.5+/20 (October 2005)
Mas Amiel Maury Cuvée Speciale 10 ans d'âge: Current release. This is handled as above,
but here the period in demijohns is followed by nine years in tank. This has
beautiful colour, rather deeper than the six-year old. The nose shows more
toffee richness, but with more complexity, overlaid with aged, vegetal notes.
Full, expressive, quite firm on the palate, structured yet creamy and
integrated. This is very stylish indeed. No doubt it will last for years in
bottle. 17+/20 (October 2005)
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