Château Fleur Cardinale 2008

Ruby. Ripe and fruity nose, quite intense, dark berries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, fruity, quite well balanced, ripe but not overly so, good length. September 2015

Robe profonde, corps onctueux et profond, tanin enrobé, fruits rouges et noirs bien mûrs mais sans confiture, allonge et distinction. Mai 2009

Ripe plums and spice. This wine has nice ripe, core fruit as well as toasty cedar and spice notes. Flavours are well integrated along with tightly knit tannins. Good length. April 2009

April 2009
Rich and full with opulent fruit and texture. Fine but firm tannic frame. Length on the finish. Drink 2014-2024.

BEST OF FRANCE 2011
Fragant, brooding, ripe dark fruit. Rich, powerful, structured, fresh and long. Drink 2014-2022.

February 2019
Made from 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, brought up all in new oak, the 2008 Château Fleur Cardinale is very much in the vintage with its slightly reserved, classic style. Blackcurrants, dried spice, herbs, and a touch of dried earth/mineral all flow to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, straight and balanced 2008. With good acidity, firm tannin, and a good finish, it's not going to get better but should keep for at least another decade.

Guide 2011

Meaty and fleshy wines with significant aroma of black cherries, splendidly balanced and well-structured. Smooth aftertaste. Primeurs 2008

Bright ruby-red. Dark raspberry, flowers, dried herbs and a subtle smoky note on the nose. Sweet, suave and supple, but also nicely delineated. Finishes firm and dry, with good mineral grip and length. Still a bit of acidity to be absorbed. July 2011

La robe est assez profonde, de teinte rubis. Le bouquet est bien ouvert et très floral ( roses et violettes) au premier plan, avec des arômes cerises mûres et fraîches, et des notes de cassis et de fines épices. La bouche est très veloutée, les tannins fins et mûrs sont enrobés par une chair bien formée, le vin très fruité se corse avec une bonne densité et de la rondeur. La finale est allongée, fraîche bien dessinée, veloutée, harmonieuse et persistante. Un vin qui offre déjà un très bon plaisir, le plus abordable de la dégustation. Juin 2016

Pure, floral and mineral nose that combines high ripeness and finesse, attractive and gracious density on the palate, concentrated without being heavy with layers of fruit, silky tannin and a very long finish, really most charming and utterly promising, should become very good indeed. TASTED Winter 2011-2012, January 2012

Dense, puissant et costaud avec des tannins très présents, le vin aura besoin de plusieurs années pour retrouver son équilibre, mais son avenir est radieux. 2012

Dans la catégorie Grands Vins ****

Kersen en kruiden, iets minder heftig, aangenaam vijgen, pruimen, goede tannines. Mei 2010
Cerises et herbes, légèrement moins intenses, agréables figues, pruneaux, bons tanins.

Bright healthy crimson. Real personality on the nose – something quite mineral. Already quite resolved aromatically and then some chewy tannins underneath. Difficult to call on the ideal moment to drink. Seems much more advanced on the nose than the palate. February 2011

Inky black wine. Very sweet and ripe on the nose then very dark and savoury on the palate. Surprisingly silky tannins given the massive power overall. For those who like blockbusters, though it retains fresh acidity. Savoury, beef extract aroma with toasty oak. Dark and resistant on the palate but suggesting a lot more to come when it takes on more flesh and opens out. Dense and promising. Drink 2013-19. April 2009

Ce millésime est conforme à la qualité constante offert par la propriété depuis 2002. La fin de saison a particulièrement bien profité à ce terroir tardif. Les dernières vendanges de cabernet ont eu lieu le 13 novembre. 2008 est millésime particulièrement aromatique. Il est très fruité et sent les fruits mûrs ainsi qu’une touche crémeuse. L’entrée en bouche est savoureuse, charnue, elle se développe avec du goût, une structure puissante et veloutée. La tannicité est particulièrement noble. très belle finale assez complexe. De la présence et du plaisir. Nouveauté : cette année, Dominique Decoster a décidé de diviser le parcellaire sur les cabernets sauvignons et les cabernets francs. Les mêmes parcelles ont été vinifiées dans sept cuves au lieu de trois. Depuis 2007, le vin est élevé dans 90% de bois neuf au lieu de 100%. Voilà qui pourrait affiner la granulation du tannin. Avril 2009.

Novembre 2019
Couleur sombre, intense et légèrement évoluée. Nez très aromatique, joli et pur. Mélange de fruits très mûrs et d'écorce d'agrumes. Moelleux à l'attaque, le vin se développe sur un corps droit plus que volumineux, tout en fondant. Finale parfumée, très savoureuse, à la tannicité bien enveloppée. Une belle surprise que l'on peut commencer à boire.

April 2009
This 45 acre vineyard owned by Decoster family has produced fabulous wines over recent years. [...] The 2008 possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as complex aromatics of graphite, cedar, blackberries, black currants, and subtle background oak. Dense, with abundant fruit, soft, ripe tannin, and a long, heady finish, I am not sure it is has powerful, rich, or as potentially long-lived as the 2005, but it will be drinkable at a much earlier age, and should evolve for 15 or more years.

May 2011
A Sleeper of the vintage, this envolved, soft/silky, dark ruby/purple/plum-colored 2008 offers up scents of blue and red fruits, earth, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied as well as round, generous and seductive, it is a pure, impeccably made, wonderfully concentrated, endearing wine of enjoy now and over the next 7-10 years. Drink Date 2011 - 2021.

Still with nice, deep, color, you can easily find the licorice; truffle, crushed stones, dark, plums, black cherries and smoke. There is length and freshness and the finish is replete with sweet, juicy, plums and dark chocolate. Give this a few more years and it should rock! December 2017

September 2018
This is so deeply colored, it looks like a baby. The wine is loaded with layers of black cherries, plums, cherries and licorice, Lush, rich, and long, the finish brings it all home with its juicy, black cherry, chocolate and licorice finish.

April 2009
Shows sweet tobacco and plum on the nose. Medium to full bodied, with lots of the new wood right now, but also plenty of good fruit and ripe tannins.

April 2011
Ripe, juicy and flattering, with delicious linzer torte, boysenberry and blackberry compote aromas and flavors, supported by solid grip and nice lingering anise and espresso on the dense, lengthy finish. Drink now through 2019.