Domaine Mamaruta

Amassa Cinsault 2020

Price: $25.95
Tasting notes

The five-to-six-day whole-cluster maceration with zero pump-over keeps tannins silky and lets Cinsault's natural red fruit and white pepper character come through cleanly. The 30% Carignan component gives the wine a tart cranberry edge and enough structure to make it food-friendly without losing the easy drinkability that makes this bottle disappear fast.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
Wild StrawberryCranberryWhite PepperGarrigue
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; 70% Cinsault, 30% Carignan; red fruit, white pepper, savory finish; 13% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 70% Cinsault, 30% Carignan; certified organic; alluvial and clay-limestone coastal soils, La Palme, Corbières maritimes
  • Winemaking: Whole-cluster, 5-6 day maceration; no pigeage or pump-over; slow press; 6 months in fiber tank; sulfites <20 mg/L; unfined
  • Serving: Serve at 55-58F; slight chill recommended; decant or shake if reductive on opening
  • Pairing: Lamb merguez, roasted chicken, charcuterie, tomato-based pasta, soft cheeses
  • Similar To: For fans of Gamay and light-to-medium Grenache who want a coastal Languedoc expression

Amassa, meaning "together" in Occitan, is a 70% Cinsault and 30% Carignan blend grown on the Aude coastline near La Palme, where soils shift between rounded alluvial pebbles bordering the saltwater lagoons and ancient limestone cliff faces overlooking the Mediterranean. The vineyards sit within the Corbières maritimes, a coastal enclave strongly influenced by sea winds that moderate temperatures and reduce disease pressure. At 13% ABV, this is a wine where early harvest preserves natural acidity and keeps the fruit bright.

Winemaking is minimal. Grapes are hand-harvested and loaded whole-cluster into stainless steel tanks. Maceration runs just five to six days with no pigeage or pump-over. After a slow, gentle press, fermentation finishes and the wine rests for six months in fiber tanks. A small amount of sulfite is added before bottling; total sulfites at analysis are under 20 mg/L. The wine is unfined.

Marc Castan founded Domaine Mamaruta in 2009 after years working with the local cooperative. He took over his grandfather's vineyards, spread across La Palme, Roquefort-des-Corbières, and Leucate, and converted fully to organic farming. The name Mamaruta is Romanian for ladybug, a symbol Castan adopted as shorthand for organic agriculture. Yields are low, averaging 16 to 20 hl/ha, and 70% of vines are trained in gobelet. Highland cattle graze the plots in winter, providing natural fertilization and weed control in place of herbicides.

The result is a juicy, light-to-medium-bodied red with a fluid texture and fruit-forward character typical of whole-cluster Cinsault. The Carignan adds a spine of acidity and a faint savory edge. Serve slightly cool.

Works well alongside grilled lamb merguez, roasted chicken with herbs, or a simple charcuterie board. The wine's savory edge and bright acidity also make it a solid match for dishes with tomato or olive-based sauces. Serve at around 55-58F for best results.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Cinsault, Carignan
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2020
Alcohol:, 13%
Country:, France
Region:, Languedoc-Roussillon
Appellation:, Vin de France
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

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Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

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Amassa Cinsault 2020
$25.95

Producer profile

Domaine Mamaruta

Marc Castan grew up in Narbonne and spent his childhood in the Corbières maritimes. After completing viticultural training, he took over vineyards originally planted by his grandfather, who had been a country veterinarian in the area. Castan spent several years delivering fruit to the local cooperative before deciding in 2009 to vinify independently under the Domaine Mamaruta label.

The estate covers approximately 14 hectares spread across La Palme, Roquefort-des-Corbières, and Leucate on the Aude coastline. Soils vary between rounded alluvial pebbles near the étang de La Palme and limestone cliff faces above the Mediterranean. Around 70% of vines are gobelet-trained. Yields average 16 to 20 hl/ha. The domaine is certified organic and incorporates biodynamic practices including herbal preparations applied to vine wounds after pruning. More than ten Highland cattle graze the parcels over winter, providing natural fertilization and replacing herbicide use entirely. Hedgerows have been planted at vineyard borders to promote biodiversity.

Harvest starts in mid-August to capture natural acidity before the Mediterranean heat pushes sugar accumulation too high. All picking is done by hand in small crates, in the morning hours. In the cellar, Castan works with minimal intervention: whole-cluster fermentations in stainless steel or fiber tanks with no temperature control additives, no fining, and very low or no added sulfites depending on the cuvée.

Wine region

Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Languedoc-Roussillon stretches along the Mediterranean coast of southern France from the Rhone delta to the Spanish border. It is one of the largest wine-producing regions in France by volume, with a strongly Mediterranean climate defined by hot, dry summers, mild winters, and persistent winds including the Tramontane. Soils are highly varied across the region, ranging from limestone and clay near the coast to schist in the higher interior zones of Corbières and the Pyrenean foothills.

Fitou, established in 1948, was the first AOC granted in Languedoc, and sits as two geographically separate enclaves within the larger Corbières appellation. Fitou Maritime, where Domaine Mamaruta's vineyards are located, consists of low-lying plots on clay-limestone soils flanking the saltwater lagoons between Narbonne and Perpignan. The proximity to the sea and the lagoons moderates temperatures and provides cooling winds, helping producers preserve natural acidity at lower elevations. Corbières itself authorizes Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault for red wines, with Carignan historically dominant in the maritime zone.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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