THE HISTORY OF MAS AMIEL
200 years of an extraordinary adventure
Mas Amiel has the reputation of an exceptional domaine in the region with untamed and bewitching nature. In this estate several generations have produced unique wines perfectly suited to their terroir.
1816 THE STORY BEGINS LIKE A MOVIE
Once upon a time, a bishop from Perpignan met Raymond Etienne Amiel, a humble engineer of roads and bridges, at a gaming table. The bishop wagered one of his properties, known as Domaine des Goudous. To his astonishment, Mr. Amiel won the game and became the owner of 10 hectares of vines nestled in the midst of the garrigue.
*Bishop of Cucugnan in 1815, he administered the Agly valley
1900 THE TRAGEDY OF PHYLLOXERA
The Phylloxera louse managed to destroy France’s wine-growing regions in just 15 short years. Camille Gouzy, a wine merchant from Millas, joined forces with Amiel's son and proposed to the winegrowers of the Agly valley to replant their vines and graft them on the American vine species rootstock. Later he built the famous cellar with big oak casks still used today for ageing at the estate. His reputation crossed borders, and when Portugal was hit by phylloxera, Camille Gouzy was invited to replant the vineyards in the Douro Valley.
1907 THE EXPANSION OF MAS AMIEL
MAS AMIEL was taken over by Charles Dupuy, the banker who decided to operate it. He did so until his death in 1916. His son Jean took over on his return from the war. The latter developed and produced a natural sweet wine under the brand name Mas Amiel. His son Charles ensured the continuity of this expansion policy until 1997, the date of his death.
1999 A NEW LEASE OF LIFE
When Olivier Decelle discovered Mas Amiel, the domaine occupied an area of 226 hectares - 155 of which were planted with vines. At that time, production was essentially made up of Fortified Wines. Olivier Decelle takes on the challenge of bringing the international recognition to the MAS AMIEL estate and developing a range of dry wines to prove the incredible potential & diversity of this terroir.
