2023 Mas Amiel - Muscat de Rivesaltes (750ml)

Mas Amiel has more than 200 years of history in Languedoc-Roussillon, and Olivier Decelle has led the estate since 1999. Best known for its fortified wines, it also bottles dry cuvées from a patchwork of roughly 130 plots with soils of schist, calcoschist, and gneiss. The vineyards are farmed organically and biodynamically in the heart of the Maury appellation.

This AOC Muscat de Rivesaltes is a blend of 80% Muscat à petits grains and 20% Muscat d'Alexandrie, grown on stony schist soils at the bottom and middle of slopes, with bedrock 60 to 80 centimeters down. Grapes are picked by hand in early September, sorted twice, and pressed directly. Fermentation takes place at 18°C in stainless steel, with care taken to prevent oxidation. Halfway through, spirit is added to the juice to halt fermentation and preserve natural sweetness. The wine then rests on its lees in tank for about six months.

The color is a pale gold with green hues. Verbena and citrus lead the nose, with honeyed notes from berries swollen with juice. The attack is bright and fresh, with flavors of crystallized lemon and bergamot, and the crunch of the Muscat grape is palpable. Lively acidity and a streak of minerality give this sweet wine remarkable finesse and keep it from feeling heavy.