Mas Amiel : 40 Ans d'Âge

Tasting characteristics and advice for Mas Amiel 40 Year Old

Tasting

Appearance

Magnificent mahogany color with coppery highlights.

Nose

The nose opens onto the typical world of rancio with notes of warm metal, wax and spices. The bouquet then develops aromas of walnut, fig, date and brown tobacco.

Palate

On the palate, this wine is distinguished by exceptional freshness and length. The finish lingers on notes of bitter orange, offering remarkable persistence.

Food and wine pairings

This vin doux naturel pairs perfectly with Pata Negra ham or blue cheeses such as Roquefort. It can also be enjoyed on its own to fully appreciate its complexity.

Serving and cellaring

Mas Amiel 40 Year Old is served at 15°C. It is recommended to open the bottle one hour before serving.

An exceptional oxidative vin doux naturel from Roussillon

The estate

Founded in 1816 following a card game between the Bishop of Perpignan and the engineer Raymond Etienne Amiel, Mas Amiel covers 152 hectares of vineyards at the foot of the Pyrenees, in the Maury appellation in Roussillon. Owned by Olivier Decelle since 1999 and run by oenologist Nicolas Raffy since 2007, the estate has been certified organic since 2017 and has been undergoing conversion to biodynamic farming since 2020. Mas Amiel stands out for its vins doux naturels aged in outdoor glass demijohns.

The vineyard

The vines of the 40 Year Old are planted on decomposed schist and black marl, benefiting from a due south exposure. This terroir, characteristic of the Maury appellation, gives this Roussillon wine its typicity and aromatic complexity.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest is carried out by hand and the grapes are destemmed. Fortification on the grapes is followed by a 30-day maceration to extract aromas and polyphenols. The 40 Year Old then undergoes one year of aging in outdoor glass demijohns, followed by long aging in 350-hectoliter oak foudres, thus developing the oxidative characteristics typical of rancio.

Grape varieties

Grenache noir (90%), maccabeu (5%), carignan (5%).