2021 Fleur Cardinale
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Tasting notes
Tons of chalky minerality, darker red and black fruits, leather, and graphite notes emerge from the 2021 Château Fleur Cardinale, a gorgeously textured, medium to full-bodied, elegant Saint-Emilion that has beautiful tannins, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, and great finish. While I love it today, this incredibly well-balanced, elegant, yet concentrated 2021 will evolve and drink well for upwards of two decades.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Fleur Cardinale, cropped at 21hL/ha, has a rather heady nose with upfront black fruit that just misses the clarity I was expecting after tasting from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit and here, the wine shows more composure than the aromatics—fresh and quite sapid on the finish of fine length. Hopefully that nose will meliorate with bottle age.
The 2021 Fleur Cardinale rushes from the glass with a nose of dark cherry, plum, chocolate, mocha, licorice, new leather and black tea. Plump and juicy, with tons of forward appeal, the 2021 has been quite showy in two tastings. It's a gorgeous, impeccably balanced wine from this Saint-Émilion property.
Attractive medium concentration to the ruby red colour, and appealing grilled sandalwood and cedar smoke on the aromatics. Things are a little pulled in and austere through the mid palate as is the character of the vintage, but there is balance and finesse here, along with juicy autumnal fruits. Tasted twice.