LE CARTEL’S SOUL
It is around friendship, food and wine passion, and constantly being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, that we built Le Cartel
It is around La Clape’s hills, close to this Ancient Island : The Phoenicians’ Lycia, that Le Cartel settled
It is around Lycia, became “Insula Laci”, “lakes island”, that the Romans landed more than two thousand years ago with vine plants
It is around this atavistic synthesis that our ambition is forged :
We are Mediterranean souls, sons of this sea, of this history, of this cultural, Bacchic and gastronomic crossroads, anchored in time through several millennia of history : we are Le Cartel.
INSULAR VINES
Le Cartel settled in the village of Gruissan, in this unique region, at the entrance of Corbières Maritimes. We mainly work grapes from 2 very specific terroirs : vines from La Clape’s hills range and vines from L’île Saint-Martin.
La Clape was and antique island known by the Phoenicians and the Romans, before being belatedly attached to the mainland, after Aude river’s floods and alluvial deposits, during the Middle Ages.
The Phoenicians called the island “Lycia”; a probable reference to the similarity of its coasts with a well-known region of Mediterranean Anatolia, from which originated, according to the legend, the famous Saint-Christophe of Lycia.
Later on, Romans colonized the Island and renamed it “Insula Laci”, “Lakes’ island” , they began vine growing during the 2nd century BCE which makes this place among the world’s most ancient vineyards, with over 2000 years of history, a terroir recognized and appreciated throughout the ages.
Located on the foothills, vines grow on thin, stony limestone soils, in a generally arid atmosphere, giving racy and concentrated wines.
Saint-Martin island, currently still surrounded by water, is part of the last extension of the massif de La Clape, it was also known during Roman era as being part of the Piplas islands.
LE CARTEL BLANC DE NOIRS
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Cinsault.
Ageing: Takes place in vats until bottling.
Harvest: Blanc de Noirs is elaborated from an early harvest of young Cinsault vines (15 years old on average)
Vineyard: The plots are located on clay-limestone soils from Saint-Martin Island, on the eastern part of Gruissan village.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Straw yellow colour wine.
Nose: Puzzling wine that combines finesse and aromatic depth.
Palate: Will show reminiscent notes of wild strawberries and blackcurrant buds, with a very nice freshness.
LE CARTEL OLD VINES ROSÉ
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Old Terret and Clairette vines (Terret Gris, Noir, Blanc).
Ageing: Aging in Old barrels associated with Flextank eggs. After harvest, grapes are pressed and directly sent in cement vats, to begin their fermentation at low temperature (14 ° C) for 10 days.
Vineyard: The vineyard is located on the lower part of the Clape massif with an average age of 60 years.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Clean pale pink.
Nose: A « Terroir » Rosé, delicate, fragrant, and straight.
Palate: Differs from usual southern profiles flattering and aromatic, to offer a Triptych combining Fragrance, structure and delicacy.
LE CARTEL Alicante-Henri-Bouschet
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Alicante-Bouschet
Ageing: 4 months aging in ovoid tanks (Flextank) with micro-oxygenation
Harvest: Manual harvest
Vineyard: Planted in 1950, our Old Alicante-Henri-Bouschet is located on Gruissan old island, today known as “La Clape”’s hills.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Dark ruby color
Nose: developing tart blackberry aromas.
Palate: A rich and fruity fresh wine, with good balance
LE CARTEL CENTENARY GRENACHE
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Red Grenache, with randomly about 10% white Grenache, and a few vine plants of Carignan
Ageing: 4 months aging in ovoid tanks (Flextank) with micro-oxygenation.
Harvest: Picked up by hand, no mechanization being possible.
Vineyard: On a clay-limestone soil swept by the wind, most of the centenary Grenache vines plants are laid-down anarchically on the ground.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Dark ruby color.
Nose: Singular aromas, discrete, but without losing strength, combining roasted coffee and chocolate notes.
Palate: A racy red wine, delicate and noble, with a very nice acidity.
LE CARTEL BLANC DE NOIRS
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Cinsault.
Ageing: Takes place in vats until bottling.
Harvest: Blanc de Noirs is elaborated from an early harvest of young Cinsault vines (15 years old on average)
Vineyard: The plots are located on clay-limestone soils from Saint-Martin Island, on the eastern part of Gruissan village.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Straw yellow colour wine.
Nose: Puzzling wine that combines finesse and aromatic depth.
Palate: Will show reminiscent notes of wild strawberries and blackcurrant buds, with a very nice freshness.
LE CARTEL OLD VINES ROSÉ
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Old Terret and Clairette vines (Terret Gris, Noir, Blanc).
Ageing: Aging in Old barrels associated with Flextank eggs. After harvest, grapes are pressed and directly sent in cement vats, to begin their fermentation at low temperature (14 ° C) for 10 days.
Vineyard: The vineyard is located on the lower part of the Clape massif with an average age of 60 years.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Clean pale pink.
Nose: A « Terroir » Rosé, delicate, fragrant, and straight.
Palate: Differs from usual southern profiles flattering and aromatic, to offer a Triptych combining Fragrance, structure and delicacy.
LE CARTEL Alicante-Henri-Bouschet
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Alicante-Bouschet
Ageing: 4 months aging in ovoid tanks (Flextank) with micro-oxygenation
Harvest: Manual harvest
Vineyard: Planted in 1950, our Old Alicante-Henri-Bouschet is located on Gruissan old island, today known as “La Clape”’s hills.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Dark ruby color
Nose: developing tart blackberry aromas.
Palate: A rich and fruity fresh wine, with good balance
LE CARTEL CENTENARY GRENACHE
LA CLAPE
Varieties: Red Grenache, with randomly about 10% white Grenache, and a few vine plants of Carignan
Ageing: 4 months aging in ovoid tanks (Flextank) with micro-oxygenation.
Harvest: Picked up by hand, no mechanization being possible.
Vineyard: On a clay-limestone soil swept by the wind, most of the centenary Grenache vines plants are laid-down anarchically on the ground.
Alcohol content: 12,5% Vol
Tasting notes
Colour: Dark ruby color.
Nose: Singular aromas, discrete, but without losing strength, combining roasted coffee and chocolate notes.
Palate: A racy red wine, delicate and noble, with a very nice acidity.