Château Fleur Cardinale 2022

Complex, delicate, coriander seeds, floral notes, parsley, with currants and cherries in the background, underpinned by minerality, a poem; powerful palate, crisp, fresh, high-quality tannins, plenty of tension and great length, salty on the finish. Excellent!

Offers a lovely mouthfeel, with a velvety edge to its mix of blackberry and black cherry compote notes that drive along, with graphite, sweet tobacco and black tea accents. Fruit and savory elements echo together through the lengthy finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2036. 7,100 cases made.

Ripe strawberries and cherries give a sweet scent on the nose. Juicy and alive, this has such a charm about it. Crystalline, juicy and gently sweet fruit is lifted by high acidity and supported by softly gripping tannins, with a mineral, crushed-stone undertone. It feels effortless with a less-is-more approach. I like this a lot and it already feels very accessible.

The 2022 Fleur Cardinale is pure and total sensuality. Silky and nicely layered, this medium-bodied Saint-Émilion is a delight. Elegant tannins complement a core of dark-toned fruit. Lavender, espresso, licorice, dried herbs and menthol lead into the long, sustained finish.

Luscious layers of chocolate-drenched plums, black cherries, licorice, espresso, spice, and smoke coat the palate. This hedonistic expression is at its best here, with lift, length, and a bite of chalk on the finish. The blend is 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. All that extra Cabernet really makes a difference, adding more freshness, complexity, and individuality. In fact, I would like to see more of it in the vineyard over the years. Drink from 2026–2042.

Deep dark ruby garnet colour with an inky, opaque core, purple reflections, and a delicate brightening at the rim. Restrained, refined noble oak nuances, black forest berries, dark cherries, tobacco savouriness in the background. Complex, sweet cherries, ripe plums, fine acidity, dark nougat, long finish, definite ageing potential.

The 2022 Château Fleur Cardinale is a blend of 78% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, vinified with a cold pre-fermentation maceration and raised for 12–14 months in 72% new French oak, 18% one-year-old barrels, 7% large foudres, and 3% amphora. It’s a full-bodied, layered Saint-Émilion showing dark berries, graphite, crushed stone, and truffly, earth-like nuances on the nose. This ripe yet flawlessly balanced Saint-Émilion has moderate acidity, silky tannins, and a seamless, polished texture. Slightly modern in style, it’s nevertheless lush, opulent, and utterly compelling, displaying both depth and finesse.

These guys know how to combine intensity and lift, and here they capture the exuberance and exoticism of the spice and fruit character of 2022 without going overboard. This is big but has enjoyable floral character and chalky tannins; it needs some time in bottle to soften, but there is juice and punch.

A very lovely fresh, fleshy nose where small berries wage a friendly battle with delicate floral aromas. It’s both fresh and tender. On the palate, sweetness prevails in a silky, creamy texture, barely outlined by a few velvety tannins. Notes of blackcurrant and blackberry return, with gentle spices and, above all, a minty freshness that lingers on the finish.

And here we are: the 2022 surpasses the 2018. Bravo! What an outsider! A dark, intense, beautifully purple color. A moderately aromatic nose with ripe fruit, licorice notes and a slightly sun-kissed feel. Juicy from the attack, very aromatic through the mid-palate, with a delicate creaminess running across the palate. The wine melts from mid-palate to finish, both graceful and deep. It’s superb and hard to spit.

Fleur Cardinale shows maturity and freshness, with ripe black berry notes combined with hints of mint and a chalky touch. The creamy attack heralds a dense, harmonious wine. Its silky tannins deliver breadth and velvety texture while promising ageing potential, supported by a structuring tension. A wine that highlights the evolution of the cru initiated by Ludovic Decoster. What exciting prospects!

92-94 Barrel sample. The wine boasts ripe black fruits, whose tannins have richness. The wine's density comes from the Merlot in the blend, which is being partly aged in amphoras.