About

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Maurice Amiel, founder of The French Wine Merchant in the Town of Palm Beach, New York, and Connecticut; has offerings of small, overlooked vineyards from France, Italy, and other micro-wine makers from around the world to Palm Beach consumers.

“I buy the output of small, talented domestic and international artisan producers and negotiants, making their wines available at very reasonable prices to the Palm Beach market via my retail store and wine tastings.”

Prices range from $7 to $52 per bottle. Full and mixed cases can be obtained for as little as $99 per case.

Mr. Amiel notes that he obtains very high-quality, distinctive wines from reputable sources at very good prices because he buys directly from the artisan producer – not from importers and distributors – and he purchases a substantial portion of the vineyards’ production.

“Trips to all the key wine regions in the world has enabled me to develop a network of dedicated vintners who like my system,” he points out. “We pay careful attention to their needs and they reciprocate by reserving for our clients the best of their varietals and cuvees.”

Bordeaux is deemed the most prestigious wine producing region in the world and is considered the birthplace of wine culture as we know it today. While steeped in tradition it has continually updated vineyard and wine making practices in order to improve quality. Bordeaux is currently the leading producer of high quality red wines in the world for over 200 years.

The advantage of the Bordeaux region for producing these amazing wines firstly is the ideal climate and soil conditions. Positioned by the sea and threaded with rivers, the region offers a steady, stable, and moderate climate. Forests on the ocean side protect it from strong winds and excessive rainfall. The bedrock is full of nutrients and minerals.

Secondly is the grape growing experience. The grapes have been produced for over 200 years and always of excellent quality.

Thirdly is the process of wine making and the expertise. Bordeaux does have some of the best techniques passed down over the years. The variety of soils, climate, grapes and drainage throughout Bordeaux produce many styles of wines.

These range from fresh and easy drinking Merlot based wines to highly concentrated, highly tannic Cabernet Sauvignon based wines, and all the multitude of styles in between. The three major red grape varieties have prevailed in this prestigious region. They are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.