A concentrate of terroir in Cartagena from Cellier du Roc, in Gignac

L: l’idée de refaire de la cartagène est née après le terrible épisode de gel qui a meurtri les vignes en avril 2021 JM – JM

Quand la cartagène fait un retourremarqué au concours des vins de la CCVH.

Some silver lining. Because, finally, the terrible episode of frost which devastated the French vineyards in April 2021 will at least have given rise to a happy event, three years later, in Gignac. It was that after this new hazard which was to lastingly devastate the vines, and the morale of the women and men of the land, the harvest came "there was no time left. there was nothing left to collect. So, we scraped together, we made additional products, grape juice… hellip; the idea came back to make cartagena", recalls Rémy Fite at the age of 32 and of the almost ten hectares of land that forms the tenement from Cellier du Roc to the south of Gignac.

“Eternal Cartagena”

Three years later, from these agricultural ersatz a precious elixir was born, a true concentrate of terroir: the cartagena from Cellier du Roc which has just distinguished itself in the Hérault Valley wine competition, winning the Cartagena special mention. The equivalent of a gold medal in a category which had deserted the competition for ten years, due to a lack of sufficient number of competitors. "It is true that this is not a very widespread product today. At the time, however, all our grandparents had them. There was always a barrel, a barrel, a carboy to enjoy during family meals. This story begins there, my father had a barrel of eternal cartagena, which had been there for years…We said to ourselves that we were going to refresh this barrel. We redid a cycle, it’s a product that is quite simple in its design. But what makes its quality is time, it is the refining of the product", smiles the winegrower.

He's firing on all cylinders

A long-term product in short, refined over time. And the man knows the value of the patina of time, in line with his history as an independent winemaker. A “small peasant” who will have patiently acquired land, hectare after hectare, while he was still a student…hellip;"When you don't have the money, you take a more long, with an old tractor, old machines and old vines". Khronos as the flagship ingredient of a blend of old Cinsault musts and white, overripe Grenache, and a humility that becomes a standard, a guarantee of quality. "I am a small farmer, my only way is to produce locally, in small quantities: wine, cartagena, orchard products, olive oil, edible oil, grape juice . I am banking on direct valuation. I'm trying to register in this way, I have, in any case, no alternative", cut this figure of the Gignac market and the heart of the village.

A winegrower’s manifesto

A former student of science and Occitan literature who found in the reliefs of the Heart of Hérault material to express a strong identity rooted in the territory. And who proclaims it, giving voice to the vines, in a cheerful accent: "For me, continuing to produce is a way of speaking out and bringing the region to life. I am an artisan of the land, of the plot. We put all our soul, our heart, our intention into it, and it transforms the country and agriculture needs means but also space, place, to produce", he delivers as in a winegrower's manifesto.

Cartagena

This product was unanimously acclaimed and aroused the curiosity of tasters during the Hérault Valley wine competition at the end of April. "It’is also a great story of transmission, it is essential to maintain the know-how", greets JeanFrançois Soto, president of the CCVH. The jury will have distinguished "a gastronomic Cartagena, the color is deep yellow. On the nose, aromas of prunes and nuts reflect an elegant, very controlled oxidation ". A product to enjoy with a little cheese… and lots of moderation.

Contact of Cellier du Roc: 06 99 27 93 56 or La cartagène

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