2020 Cardinal Villemaurine
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Tasting notes
From holdings that unite sandy soils in Libourne with clay-limestone in Saint-Émilion, the 2020 Cardinal Villemaurine offers up aromas of sweet plums, berries, licorice and spices, followed by a medium-bodied, lively and perfumed palate framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a chalky finish.
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Average Score
Neal Martin
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Château Cardinal-Villemaurine is based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. It has a medium-bodied, focused, slightly austere style that still brings solid depth of fruit, with ripe raspberry and cherry notes as well as white flower, chalky minerality, camphor, and sappy herb nuances. It could use more mid-palate depth and concentration, but this pretty, charming, forward Saint-Emilion should evolve for 8-10 years.
The 2020 Cardinale-Villemaurine has not developed as well as I had hoped. Heavy oak attenuates the mid-palate and finish. This was much more elegant en primeur.