Mas Amiel

From a winery possibly better known for its AOC Maury dessert wines, this is an entirely dry red, powerful but fresh and focused.

The thoroughbred headiness of pure Grenache is displayed here in vibrant aromas of cherries, red berries and roses. The ample, juicy flavours of this dry red are given full expression thanks to the mineral backbone that comes from the schist-rich soils where the vines grow.

Mas Amiel consider this wine an introduction to the upper tiers of their range of dry wines, and have emphasized juicy, fruity energy in their youngest Grenache blend.

‘Oh, decadence! This rich sweet red from Languedoc is fruity enough to be a perfect match for berries, whether red or black.’
Mary Dowey, Irish Times

‘The most chocolate friendly wine…’
Wine Ireland

‘Very smooth and delightfully fruity - creamy blackberries and elderberries, with a slightly raisined finish. Perfect with chocolate desserts.’
Wine Guide 2005

Dark crimson with a big cassis and spice nose, this is a full-bodied dessert wine with silky tannins and rich, indulgent flavours of overripe berries, cocoa, fig and sultana. There are occasional glimpses of the garrigue too, to remind you of its origins looking up at the Pyrenees. It's very complex and generous, with huge length.

Try it with dishes that mix sweet and spicy or sweet and sour; with good-quality chocolate, chocolate-based desserts, or just on its own after dinner. To get the very best of its riches, decant it an hour before use.

‘The most chocolate-friendly wine in Ireland ... Very smooth and delightfully fruity - creamy blackberries and elderberries, with a slightly raisined finish ... Just perfect with chocolate desserts.’
Mary Dowey, Irish wine writer

Maury is an appellation in the Pyrenees foothills, specializing in vins doux naturels (fortified, sweet wine), produced mostly from the various Grenache grapes: Noir, Blanc and Gris. The area also also makes quirky dry reds and whites under the Côtes du Roussillon and Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellations and the IGP Côtes Catalanes.

This wine is made by a process known as mutage, in which fermentation is arrested part way through by the addition of grape spirit. Because much of the grape sugar remains unfermented, the result is a sweet wine high in alcohol. Mas Amiel Vintage is aged in low-oxygen conditions for a year in tank before bottling.

Attractive red-mocha hue with an intense bouquet of dark chocolate, baked fig and peppermint. Bold, powerful palate showcasing striking freshness, tender

90% Grenache, 5% Maccabeu, 5% Carignan

This attractive and unusual dessert wine is made from pure Grenache gris, and has a complex bouquet with distinct aromas of orange flower, mandarin zest and grapefruit. On the palate it's clean, bright and minerally—chilled, it would certainly surprise and delight as an aperitif or with foie gras, tuna sashimi or creme brûlée.

Maury is an appellation in the Pyrenees foothills specialising in vins doux naturels (fortified, sweet wine), produced mostly from the various varieties of the Grenache grape: noir, blanc and the under-utilized gris. The area also also makes quirky dry reds and whites under the IGP Côtes Catalanes or the appellations Côtes du Roussillon and Côtes du Roussillon Villages.

As with the winery's Muscat, a process called mutage delivers the potent sweetness of the style. Fermentation of the wine is stopped by the addition of grape spirit, raising the degree of alcohol and retaining a proportion of the natural fruit sugars.

A pure ‘pleasure wine’, brimming with exotic, opulent notes of mango, baked pear, summer blossom and overripe peach. Luscious honey and caramel flavours from six years‘ bottle age add to its delicious complexity.

Enjoy it as an aperitif, post-prandial treat, or with fruit-based desserts.

Muscat de Rivesaltes is an appellation for vins doux naturels (sweet, fortified wines) in France's Roussillon region. It is the largest single sweet-wine appellation in France (along with Rivesaltes, which covers the same area).

The wines are made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Muscat d'Alexandrie, in varying proportions, by a technique known as mutage, a process of arresting fermentation by the addition of grape spirit while unfermented grape sugars remain. The result is a sweet wine with relatively high alcohol: a delicious digestive.

Being left outside for a year doesn't improve every wine—but the fresh air turns the juice of fine hand-picked fruit into something really marvellous on the Maury estate of Mas Amiel.

After oxidizing in glass demijohns, the blend of red Grenache, Maccabeu and Carignan is aged in oak barrels to complete its transformation into a truly luxurious dessert wine, released for sale at twenty years old.

Despite the lengthy maturation process and the rich amber colour of the finished wine, there is a delicious vivacity about its aromas and flavours that impresses the senses with the quality of the original fresh fruit, even while the spices, liquorice and concentrated dried fruit character of this exquisite antique weave their charm.