Ami Ami - 'Vin Rouge' - Syrah, Malbec - Limoux AOP, CA - 2023 - 1500ml

@ami.ami.vin

Notes from the Winery/Importer

Stunning Vin Rouge.   Quintessential, crowd pleasing red. Smooth like velvet. Made in the South of France by eighth generation winegrowers and pioneers of sustainable and organic farming.    Wonderful people, fantastic wine, great times.   1.5 Liters = 2 standard bottles = 10 glasses the grapes Our Syrah comes from 2 lots that were cold soaked in stainless steel fermenters for 2 days and then slowly fermented over 14 days. We racked them (moved the wines to new vessels) off lees and aged in a combination of used oak and stainless steel. The grapes were sourced from 6 blocks (sections of a vineyard usually broken out by access roads) on 12 acres near the Mediterranean and the southern French Spanish border. The maritime influence of the Mediterranean results in a slower maturity of our grapes that ultimately translates into a more complex wine. Winemaking dates back 2000 years in the area and the landscape is still littered with ancient roads, ruins and relics.

Notes on the Producer

the founders Brought to you by two friends with 3 decades between them, making wine around the world. They sought to offer the best at home, where amazing quality is casual. After living and working in France, we felt inspired by the culture, where incredible wine isn't only poured for special occasions or perfectly plated pairings. It's an effortless, everyday thing, when you want to. Enjoyed unscripted, unplanned, when the mood strikes. Wine without rules. When it came to bottling, the carbon impact of moving glass across oceans caught our attention. Enter box— A convenient and conscious choice with great positive impact. It's the small things that count. Why Box? After decades (and generations) in the wine business, we came across a statistic that amazed us. More than 2/3 of glass in the US is not recycled and ends up in a landfill. Not only that, the carbon footprint to produce and transport glass is immense. This got us thinking on how to wine better. Enter box. With 50% less of the carbon footprint and far more efficient to transport, it just makes more sense than the traditional glass bottle. Embracing change doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. We found the best of both worlds in the box. Born out of deep love for our vineyards, we knew that wine could be gentler on the earth, so we started by reducing the fuel and resources it takes to produce and ship heavy bottles. We also got tired of pouring half a bottle down the drain the day after we just wanted one glass of wine. The fact that boxed wine stays fresh for up to 6 weeks after opening fits in perfectly with our quality of quantity lifestyle. Take your time. It’ll keep.

Grapes & Style

Syrah

Syrah is a northern Rhône grape with a serious range, capable of making dark, structured, savory reds without needing the sheer weight of Cabernet. Its home is places like Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas, and Saint-Joseph, but it has traveled widely, especially to Australia, California, South Africa, and parts of the Mediterranean.

In the vineyard, Syrah tends to like warmth, but not excessive heat. In cooler sites it can be peppery, floral, and lifted; in warmer places it becomes darker, richer, and more generous. It has relatively small berries and can produce wines with deep color, good tannin, and a strong savory profile.

In the glass, Syrah often shows black fruit, violet, black pepper, olive, smoke, meat, and spice. The best examples have density without feeling clumsy — dark-fruited and structured, but still aromatic and full of detail. We tend to love Syrah when it keeps that savory edge and doesn’t lose its freshness.

Malbec

Malbec is an old southwest French grape that became famous in Argentina. In Cahors, where it’s historically known as Côt or Auxerrois, it can make dark, tannic, earthy wines; in Mendoza and other Argentine regions, it often shows a plusher, more generous side while still holding color and structure.

In the vineyard, Malbec needs warmth and sun but can lose freshness if pushed too far. It has relatively thin skins for such a deeply colored grape, and it can be sensitive to frost, coulure, and rot. In Argentina, altitude has been especially important, helping preserve acidity and aromatic lift.

In the glass, Malbec usually shows dark plum, blackberry, violet, cocoa, spice, and sometimes a smoky or earthy note. It can be soft and fruit-forward, or firm, savory, and mineral depending on place. The best versions balance their natural generosity with freshness and enough tannin to keep the wine grounded.