In 2024, Château Fleur Cardinale and Château Croix Cardinale were brought together under the name La Maison Cardinale

Château Fleur Cardinale 2022 - Château Fleur Cardinale
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Château Fleur Cardinale 2022

Intensity & Lengthening

Capsule de Château Fleur Cardinale - © C. Decoster, Château Fleur Cardinale

IDENTITY

Potential blend :

  • 75% Merlot
  • 20% Cabernet Franc
  • 5% Cabernet-Sauvignon

Potential alcoholic degree: 14,77°

La vigne - © C. Decoster, Château Fleur Cardinale

WEATHER CONDITIONS

The coldest point was -7°C in early April 2022. But thanks to favourable weather conditions in the following weeks, the vines is starting to grow again.

While May ended with exceptionally low rainfall, June and July were similar to 2020, and August was lower again.

However, our vineyards on the northern slope of the clay-limestone plateau favour us: here, temperatures will not exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

Le temps des vendanges - © J. Buchholtz

HARVEST

  • From September 19th to 30th
  • Yields:  38hl/ha
  • Estimated production: 89 000 bottles of first wine – 22 000 bottles of second wine

TASTING SUGGESTIONS

The wine is still in barrel and will tell us more in the months to come…

Une bouteille de Fleur Cardinale 2015 - © C. Decoster, Château Fleur Cardinale

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

The 2022 vintage is synonymous of:

  • Intensity
  • Lengthening
  • Adaptability
  • Perspective
Vin et musique - © C. Decoster, Château Fleur Cardinale

SOUNDTRACK

The wine is still in barrel but it already reminds us of the song Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen.

Reviews for this vintage

ALEXANDRE MA

93-94
The 2022 vintage of Château Fleur Cardinale embodies a combination of plumpness and elegance. The distinct aromas of dark plums and blackberries, along with meticulously crafted baking spices such as star anise and cumin, are intoxicating. Unlike its usual robust structure, this vintage reveals a delicate and sweet demeanor upon the first sip. The high proportion of clay-limestone soil provides firm tannins that gradually emerge on the finish, making it an excellent wine that is infectiously appealing whether young or aged. May 2023

BETTANE & DESSAUVE

95-96
Tannin soyeux, pulpeux et juteux avec une suite admirable et une finale enlevée qui balaie tout sur son passage. May 2023

DECANTER, GEORGINA HINDLE

94
Floral flecks with ripe black fruits on the nose. Straight and linear, concentrated but kept in check by fine and firm tannins that keep the frame relatively narrow and focused from start to finish. Nice purity and clarity of elements with cool blueberries alongside slate, liquorice and crushed stones giving the mineral nuance. Still has tension so you're not getting much width at this point but everything is presented so nicely and formally, all in its place with high acidity making it such an appealing, friendly and drinkable wine. Great stuff from this estate that continues to impress. Yield 38hl/ha. Harvest 19-30 September. Ageing 12-14 months, 72% new French oak barrels, 18% one wine, 7% 30hl foudres, 3% 750l amphora. 3.6pH. Bee friendly. Jean-Philippe fort consultant. May 2023

FALSTAFF, PETER MOSER

95
Deep dark ruby gamet colour with inky, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate brightening on the rim. Restrained, fine noble oak nuances, black forest berries, dark cherries, tobacco savouriness in the background. Complex, sweet cherries, ripe plums, fine acidity, dark nougat, lingers long, certain ageing potential. May 2023

GREAT WINES OF BORDEAUX

95-96
75% Merlot, 20% C. Franc and 5% C. Sauvignon. 14.77% alcohol. Intense and lush, creamy black cherries, dark chocolate, sappy, vibrant, great complexity, structure, long and persistent finish. Caroline and Ludovic Decoster deserve much praise for constantly improving the quality of the property. They are true rock star vignerons! Impressive for the vintage. May 2023

INSIDE BORDEAUX, JANE ANSON

94
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. May 2023

JAMES SUCKLING

95-96
Plenty of ripe berry and currant character with some freshly cut black cherries. Hints of chocolate. Medium body with firm tannins and a flavorful finish. Yet all in reserve. Crunchy. April 2023

JEAN-MARC QUARIN

95
Couleur noire. Nez intense, fruité, frais, mûr, subtil et floral. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, particulièrement aromatique au milieu, avec une classe inédite dans le toucher, le vin monte après le milieu de bouche vers une longue finale puissante, savoureuse, sans aspérité et noble. C'est superbe ! April 2023

JEB DUNNUCK

94-96
One of the finest vintages to date for this estate, possibly eclipsing the 2016, the 2022 Château Fleur Cardinale offers a medium to full-bodied, seamless, incredibly elegant and balanced profile that brings beautiful richness in its ripe black raspberry and cassis fruits as well as some spicy, floral, and herbal nuances. Balanced and nicely concentrated, with ripe tannins, it does everything right in the vintage. (Tasted two times.) May 2023

LA REVUE DES VINS DE FRANCE

92-93
Intéressante retenue aromatique de ce nez. Il s’ouvre tranquillement sans exubérance. Il assume la concentration du millésime, sans aucun excès ou exubérance. Une matière pulpeuse se tisse autour de la langue. Belle finale profilée par des tanins fins. May 2023

LA REVUE VINICOLE INTERNATIONALE

94
A wine on the fruit with a nice balance and tannins that give elegance and freshness. May 2023

TERRE DE VINS

95-96
Dès le nez, le graphite et la myrtille se mêlent à des notes herbacées. L'attaque est vive, l'ensemble est précis, équilibré, nous sommes sur le registre de la puissance contenue avec un magnifique fruit rouge. C'est un vin millimétré, pensé, caressé et doté d'une très belle finale saline. Mai 2023

THE DRINKS BUSINESS, COLIN HAY

93-95
Very impressive even in the context of this great St Emilion vintage and probably the best I’ve tasted from here. A beautifully constructed and highly aromatically expressive entry – with crushed rosemary and lavender and fresh violet enrobing the dark berry and stone fruit. A little green tea too. Gracious on the entry, with more aeration (in the glass or the mouth) releasing lovely shades of graphite and, above all, cedar. Cool, sophisticated, elegant, refined and very fresh on the long, juicy, energetic finish. Really excellent. May 2023

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER, JEFF LEVE

94-96
Dark in color, the wine is rich, concentrated, dense, lush, and packed with toasty oak, black plums, licorice, and espresso. Sweet, long, and round, with a chocolate covered black cherry filled finish. The blend is 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. All that extra Cabernet really makes a difference adding more freshness, complexity, and individuality. Drink from 2025-2042. May 2023

THE WINE INDEPENDENT, LISA PERROTTI-BROWN

93-95
The 2022 Fleur Cardinale is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gallops out with energetic notes of stewed black plums, kirsch, and blackberry pie, followed by wafts of violets, dark chocolate, and star anise. The full-bodied palate is concentrated, packed with black fruit preserves, and framed by ripe, rounded tannins, finishing long and with just enough freshness. May 2023

VERT DE VIN, JONATHAN CHOUKROUN CHICHEPORTICHE

95-96
Le nez est puissant, élégant, franc, précis, tout en finesse dans sa puissance et offre de la fraicheur ainsi qu'un bel équilibre. On y retrouve des notes de mûre de Boysen de cassis pulpeux et plus légèrement de framboise rôtie associées à des touches de petits fruits rouges mûrs, de poivre ainsi qu'à des pointes de sens de la place (biotop local / terroir), de poivre, à une subtile pointe presque "d'infusion", de bleuet, à une discrète pointe d'amande, de fleurs/violette et d'épices. La bouche est fruitée, élégante, racée et offre de la minéralité, de la fraicheur, de la tension, de la justesse, une certaine jutosité, une jolie énergie, un discret côté variétal noble (qui rajoute de la fraicheur), un côté aérien dans sa puissance, de la délicatesse ainsi qu'un grain fin, puissant et franc. En bouche ce vin exprime des notes de mûre pulpeuse/juteuse, de petites baies noires sauvages fraiches et plus légèrement d'infusion/macération associées à des touches de framboise fraiche/rôtie, de badiane, de cardamome, de fève tonka, de bleuet ainsi qu'à de fines pointes séveuses, à une subtile pointe de fumée, de graphite et de noisette toastée/épices douces. Les tannins sont moelleux, élégant, précis et racés. Une fine pointe de bonne amertume en fond. Un très joli vin précis, élégant, racé, harmonieux et "fin". Félicitations ! May 2023

YVES BECK

94-95
Complexe et de bonne intensité, le bouquet de Fleur Cardinale révèle des nuances de baies noires bien mûres. Bonne densité en bouche où le vin dispose de tannins aux grains fins, parfaitement intégrés, en phase avec la fraîcheur et le tempérament de la structure acide. Fleur Cardinale gagne en identité, et l'on ressent bien que le vin est encadré, bien plus linéaire qu'à l'accoutumée. Ainsi, les ambitions sont de plus en plus précises, clairvoyantes. Un vin compact, pertinent, expressif et conquérant ! May 2023

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