Moroccan-born Malek Amrani takes The Vice wines to 45 U.S. states
Born in Morocco, Malek Amrani runs The Vice, a California wine brand now distributed in 45 U.S. states. His company has significantly expanded its commercial reach in recent years and now exports its wines to eleven international markets.
In three years, The Vice has reached a new level. In August 2023, Malek Amrani said his wines were distributed in 14 U.S. states and four foreign markets. That figure has now risen to 45 states and eleven international markets, according to information shared by the entrepreneur in an interview published in October by Vintner Report. It is a remarkable expansion for the brand he founded in 2016 with his wife, Torie, in the heart of Napa Valley, California’s famous wine region.
Originally from Casablanca, Malek Amrani initially planned to study medicine. He had begun his studies in Dakar, Senegal, before abandoning them to move to New York. He got his start in the United States in the restaurant business. He then discovered wine sales and worked for major spirits groups, including Moët Hennessy and Diageo. Through his frequent contact with industry professionals, he began considering producing his own bottles.
His first vintage dates back to 2013: 500 cases of chardonnay made from California grapes. Three years later, he officially launched The Vice with Torie, who came from the world of fashion and design and took charge of the brand’s visual identity.
The range has since expanded considerably. Malek Amrani works with around 20 grape varieties from Napa Valley’s different appellations. Cabernet sauvignon accounts for nearly two-thirds of his production. The rest includes viognier, tempranillo, pinot noir and several orange wines, made by fermenting white grapes in contact with their skins.
This diversity is accompanied by a few commercial experiments. In 2026, The Vice presented an orange wine at the prestigious Premiere Napa Valley trade auction. A lot of 60 bottles sold for 9,720 dollars. That same year, the winery also released a rosé just 24 days after the grapes were harvested, an especially short turnaround in the wine industry.
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Malek Amrani is continuing to develop new wines for the 2026 vintage. He is working in particular on aromatic white wines, small-batch productions and a range of kosher wines. His company also offers tastings by appointment at its Napa Valley estate. The entrepreneur, who had already discussed his international ambitions in a 2023 interview with FlavrReport, now has a much broader sales network.
