Product presentation

Terroir

First of all, Romans were the first who planted the vines on the hillsides of the Garonne right bank. This culture developed over the centuries, increased by the enthusiasm of our foreign neighbors for the wines of the region. From the 18th century onwards, exports started to be more and more distant, with destinations like West Indies or America.

Soil & surface

Carretus main plots are located near Cadillac on the limestone cliff that borders the Garonne river for 60 km long and 5 km wide.

Thus, the vineyard benefits from remarkable natural factors: plentiful sunshine and quality soils, thanks to its sloppy, stony and naturally drained soils. They provide the vines optimal soils: stony gravel, clay-limestone or  clay-gravel.

Vinification

Le pressing

Pressing is the first operation after the harvest. In this procedure, extraction of the film components is limited.
The fractionation of the different pressed juices is a quality guarantee. First, we collect draining juice then the pressed juices. The settling process consists of allowing the pressing juice to settle before fermentation. It is carried out at low temperature (5 to 10°C) with sulphur dioxide (antioxidant), its effectiveness is better in small volumes. The settling removes from the must the coarse compounds responsible of false tastes.

Alcoholic fermentation

The alcoholic fermentation is conducted at a temperature of 15 to 22°C. We are not searching for extraction, but for the fruit aromas expression. Fermentation of white wine is delicate, because unlike red wine, the juice ferments by itself, in the absence of dandruff and seeds. Therefore, it is a nutrient-depleted environment.
The wine quality depends mainly on the fermentation success. Indeed, white wine aromas are primary (grape) and fermenting. These aromas are expressed from the end of the fermentation.

A traditional winemaking

Carretus is made according to the production requirements on sparkling wines specified by a Community regulation dated 14 July 2009.
Before the sparkling, an ingenious blending is made with a main grape Chardonnay used for great Champagnes. It brings to Carretus its chirpiness and its minerality, a youthful brilliance which gives it balance with roundness and Sémillon expression. It is a meeting and a bridge between two regions.

A second fermentation in bottle

After a first fermentation in the vat, it is in the bottle that Carretus starts to sparkle, thanks to a new and second fermentation.

The sphere of luxury is a world where nothing is impossible. A dream world with exceptional products.

You didn’t drink gold before? Carretus offers you a wine containing 24 carat gold edible leaves! These move around with the bubbles motion in a bottle of distinction. Carretus is, like Champagne, a celebration symbol and the most requested drink in high-class parties. Gold has medicinal properties : it stimulates blood circulation, relieves arthritis, arouses cell activity, has antioxidant properties and can even be an aphrodisiac!!!

This magical and volatile side brought by this 24 carat gold rain, gives it all this fantasy.