MAS AMIEL
LANGUEDOC, FRANCE
Why Buy: If you're on the hunt for something distinctive, singular, a journey unto itself, there is simply nothing to compare to Mas Amiel. Resembling port, but with a character and taste all their own, these fortified wines from Maury, France, are a classification of one, truly, and we are privileged to have partnered with them on this incredible back-vintage offer that showcases the best of the best of their legendary cellar, including two vintages from the 1980s and one from the 1960s.
The Story: One way to tell a commitment to exceptional quality in the wine world is to look at yields. Mas Amiel is particularly revealing, we think, in this regard. The 200+-year-old estate now encompasses more than 220 hectares, yet its yields are extraordinarily low, between 10-22 hectoliters per hectare. The owner and proprietor, Olivier Decelle — who purchased the estate in 1999, and has maintained, ever since, a small, hands-on operation — treats these vines with utmost care; only the finest grapes (predominantly grenache, whether noir, blanc, or gris) are selected to produce these highly-concentrated, intensely-expressive wines. And in these Winemaker's Select bottlings, we are witness to the magic of the Mas Amiel cellar, where great patience and time has turned these wines into marvels of their kind.
Our Tasting Notes: Magic. There really is no other word for these dessert wines, which are so far from the sticky sweetness that most of its brethren deliver and so deeply transportive that it's hard to sip them without being carried away to the French countryside. The older the vintage — and particularly the three reaching back to the ‘80s and ‘60s — the more we were put in mind of something that was almost beyond wine, or at least an extremely long-aged one, with the subtle complexity, endless length, and ceaseless expressiveness that recalled, for us, the greatest aged Bordeaux.
What to Pair Them With: Mas Amiel and chocolate is a combination for which there really are no words, a match almost approaching the divine.
Fun Fact: Mas Amiel was launched, not from one man’s uncompromising vision of greatness, but from a hand of cards: in 1816, a civil engineer, Raymond Etienne Amiel, won a game and, with it, 80 hectares of the Bishop of Perpignan’s land.
Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so you can be confident that your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Don't hesitate to secure yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2023 (Dec. 21st - Mar. 20th 2024). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MD, NC, NM, NY, SC, TN or WI. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, December 6th, 2023.
