Château Fleur Cardinale 2006

Robe profonde et vive, boisé imposant mais noble, charnu et tanin fin, belle saveur robuste sans raideur, fruits rouges et noirs en finale. Apogée 2012-2017.

Warm, ripe, modern style. Dark. Spicy, jammy fruit. Powerfyl tannic frame. 2013-2020.

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, fast opaker Kern, violette Reflexe. In der Nase etwas überreif, nach Dörrobst, Schokolade, Feigen, Lakritze. Am Gaumen saftig, frisches Weichselkompott, etwas Schlehen, noch recht fordernde Tannine, mittlere Länge, hat durchaus Entwicklungspotenzial. May 2007

Cahier

May 2009
Full ruby-red. High-pitched aromas of cassis, blackberry, violet, licorice and menthol. Intense, pure and sharply delineated, with a juicy, lively quality to the black fruit, violet and menthol flavors. Surprisingly dense and ripe for such a penetrating wine. Finishes with chewy, ripe tannins and lovely aromatic persistence. I'd give this three or four years in the cellar.

May 2007
Good full ruby. Very ripe aromas of black cherry, violet, licorice and bitter chocolate. Lush, chewy and fat with black cherry and chocolate flavor. This boasts terrific density for the vintage-no surprise, as the fruit in this high site in Saint Etienne de Lisse was harvested until October 18! As rich as this is, it retains an attractive juicy character and the tannins are chewy but not dry.

Il ravira les amateurs de vins puissants et amples, avec une bouche grasse et une belle franchise de fruit. Il se montre équilibré en finale avec ses tanins parfaitement extraits. Avril 2007

Le vin est dense et tannique, un peu fermé, mais d'un beau potentiel. 2010

This estate continues to impress ! A big achiever in the vintage !

Dans la catégorie Très bons vins ***/*
Fidèle au style qui, depuis sa reprise par la famille Decoster, a fait son succès, ce cru joue sur la haute maturité du raisin avec un charme et une exhubérance aromatiques évidents. L’attaque est caressante, ronde. Il évolue sur une texture veloutée, un très joli volume de bouche, évasé et des tannins mûrs et généreux.

Très beau rouge sombre, bonne intensité. Nez intense, fruité, pur, mûr et crémeux. Voici le seul vin à présenter un nez aussi alluré et profond. Très belle entrée en bouche, éclatante de fruit et se présentant surtout dense. Le vin de développe moelleux, fruité, très savoureux avec beaucoup de tenue. Il s'achève sur une tannicité présente mais sans cesse enrobée par le fruit et par l'arôme. Bonne longueur savoureuse. L'élevage patinera sans doute sa tannicité. Un succès de l'année.

April 2007
The 2006 may not turn out to be as good as the 2005 Fleur Cardinale, but this estate deserves its promotion in the most recent classification of St-Emilion to a grand cru classé (suspended in March because of pending litigation). Tremendous efforts in both the vineyard and the winemaking have resulted in a succession of brilliant wines. Made with the consulting assistance of Michel Rolland’s top assistant, Jean-Philippe Fort, and St-Emilion’s «bad boy», Jean-Luc Thunevin, the 2006 is a blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a flowery nose offering notes of black fruits, crushed rocks, and spicy oak. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, pure and precise, this stunner falls just short of rivaling the fabulous 2005. It should drink well for 10-15 years.

February 2009
A blend of 75% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this up-and-coming estate has fashioned an outstanding 2006. While not as prodigious as the 2005, it is an exceptional effort boasting a dense purple hue as well as sweet aromas of blueberries, dark raspberries, licorice, camphor, and pain grille. Full-bodied, powerful, and layered with impressive purity, texture, and length, this unfined and unfiltered wine should be at its finest between 2013-2022.

A firm, masculine vintage for this normally, soft, polished, sexy wine. Here, you find harder tannins than usual, and a crisp, fresh character the wine sweet, dark, red fruits. This should age longer than most vintages of Fleur Cardinale. An hour to 90 minutes of air, could help soften the wine. December 2017

Berry tart on the nose, with a smoke and milk chocolate undertone. Full-bodied, with round, velvety tannins and a soft, pretty finish. A little austere in the end. Best after 2011. 4,715 cases made. March 2009