Intuition de Fleur Cardinale 2023

“Because an Intuition is the beginning of a greater project”.
Intuition de Fleur Cardinale, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, is a fine introduction to the world of its classified elder brother Château Fleur Cardinale, of which it is the second blend.

Vineyards

Surface area: 27.6 hectares in production
Soil: clay-limestone/ northern slopes of the Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse limestone plateau
Third year of conversion to organic farming

Technical Sheet

2023 potential blend: 67% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Potential degree: 14% vol.
Potential pH: 3.6

Château Fleur Cardinale (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé): 40,000 potential bottles
Intuition de Fleur Cardinale (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru): 10,000 potential bottles

Climatology of the vintage

The winter of 2023 saw a period of cool weeks, with little rain from mid-January onwards. The buds gently burst at the end of March without any real fear of the frost, which was short and early. In spring, the vines exploded into life. Warmth, rain and mild nights gave way to magnificient flowering and wild growth, creating the right conditions for the plant kingdom to express itself (including fungi). The weather conditions at the beginning of the summer allowed good vegetative growth of the berries.

Harvest conditions

The end of the summer was favourable to the ripening of the grapes, with drier, sunnier weather and a significant contrast in daytime and night-time temperatures. The aromas developed and the tannins refined. As the harvest approached, we paid particular attention to the ripening of the grapes.

Harvest dates: 19 September – 4 October 2023
Yield: 15 hL / ha

Vinification and ageing

A short pre-fermentation cold maceration under bio-protection is followed by extraction by pumping over in an aqueous phase, with gentle maceration at the end of vatting.

Intuition de Fleur Cardinale is expected to age for 13 months.
71% in wooden vats of 30 hL
24% in demi-muids
5% one-year oak barrels

Tasting comment

With its appealing nose, full of blackberry jelly and raspberry coulis, Intuition de Fleur Cardinale Rouge 2023 is seductive on the palate with a supple, silky attack. Aromas of violet accompany a rich mid-palate. The long finish, deepened by notes of tapenade, heralds a promising wine.