HOW IT ALL STARTED

The Argaux team first met Chase, a winemaker for Carhartt Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, in 2015 during a visit to the Central Coast. We were captivated by the vibe and energy of their intimate tasting room and immediately bonded with Chase and the Carhartt family.

Since our passion for wine instilled a lifelong friendship, we naturally began brainstorming on ways we could collaborate. Chase—initially drawn to South Africa because of its history and emerging wine culture—has been working alongside the Storm SA team for the last three years, barreling his own Pinot Noir and Syrah.

As we were getting our importing license last year, Chase was putting his first private label project in barrel. Partnering with Chase on this project was a no-brainer and the timing was perfect. A year and a half later, we are beyond excited to officially launch Cargaux (pronounced “CAR-GO”) and thrilled to finally be able to share this wine with you!

Chase Carhartt, currently produces wine alongside his mom and dad, for Carhartt Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, nestled in California’s central coast. His parents planted the vineyard in 1996 on the ranch that has been in his family since the early 1950’s, producing their maiden vintage of both Merlot and Syrah in 1998. After graduating with a degree in Enology (winemaking) from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2011, he not only been making wines for the Carhartt Vineyard brand, but has travelled to various countries around the globe to study classic and progressive farming and winemaking. In addition to working harvests in France, Tasmania, and Argentina, 2019 marked his fourth vintage in South Africa, which has captivated my attention since my first visit in 2010.

“In my opinion, South Africa’s Western Cape is one of the most intriguing wine regions on the planet. What initially attracted me to this part of the world is the combination of the country’s history in wine alongside a new and unique identity that is emerging current day. Here, the melting pot of culture, language, and philosophy is unprecedented. After three vintages working with the team at Storm Wines S.A., I was finally able to craft small lots of both Pinot Noir and Syrah to showcase a taste of what the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, in South Africa’s Western Cape, has to offer.”

— Chase Carhartt

The excitement of having a tangible product to show from my experiences abroad is coupled by the opportunity and privilege of being able to share that story and wine with the people who have followed my journey. For those who are familiar with South African wine, and to the many who aren’t, I am honored and extremely excited to unveil this new exploration and hope you enjoy it.