Do you know Cartagena, this sweet wine from Languedoc? In Corbières-Minervois, at the end of the harvest, we get together with family or friends to make it in a warm atmosphere. It will then be consumed, always in moderation of course, on numerous occasions.
The recipe of a Corbières family
Each family has its secret recipe, which makes the Cartagens often different. Here is the one delivered to us by a family of Corbières winegrowers.
“It all begins at the end of the harvest, when the grapes are at optimum maturity. Here, the grape varieties used are muscat petit grains and muscat d'Alexandrie. We always plant a few vines of good grape varieties in the middle of the vines. It can be made with other grape varieties such as Grenache. When the wild boars leave a few clusters, we start making Cartagena! "
“The recipe is very simple: we press the grapes in the old press or with (clean) feet, we extract the grape juice or must. You need 5 liters of must for one liter of 90 ° alcohol, also called 3/6. Fermentation is thus stopped and it only remains to wait a few years for it to be less alcoholic. Nothing goes to waste, the chickens end up having a great feast! "
The Marie-Jeanne are stored outside, in the sun, with a cork stopper simply placed on the neck. We wait at least a year before bottling the precious nectar.
“It is the drink of friends, of family, which is shared. My cute sin is to dip a crunchy Saint Paul de Fenouillet in it and eat it ”
Cartagène is best enjoyed with chocolate, on foie gras, chestnuts or cheese.
