2022 Fleur Cardinale
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Tasting notes
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 exhibiting dark berries, graphite, crushed stone, and truffly earth-like nuances on the nose. This ripe, yet flawlessly balanced Saint-Emilion has moderate acidity, silky tannins, and a seamless, polished texture. A slightly modern-styled expression, it’s nevertheless lush, opulent, and utterly compelling, showing both depth and finesse.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Fleur Cardinale has a refined bouquet with perfumed red berry fruit, licorice and light espresso scents unfolding on the nose. It has fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied and silky smooth with pliant tannins, though you could argue that it needs more grip on the finish. That said, it slips down the throat with ease.
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 wiyhout going overboard. This is big but has enjoyable floral character and chalky tannins, needs some time in bottle to soften, but there is juice and punch.
Powerful cocoa bean and liqourice on the opening, still very much bedded down, slowly uncurling to show iris and peony flowers, black cherry, incense, sandalwood, well crafted, savoury with slate textured tannins, and mouthwatering lift. Delivers on En Primeur promise. Jean-Philippe Faure consultant, Decoster family owners.