Château Fleur Cardinale 2017

Floral et légèrement cassis, le nez recèle des notes d'iris, de lys, de violette. Très beau toucher de bouche dans le juteux et la fraîcheur, une structure charnue, de beaux tanins parfaitement structurants. Pour dans 10 ans. Avril 2018.

Longueur harmonieuse, générosité intense, race et fond. Avril 2018.

There's very little of this wine in 2017 due to the frost. Full credit to Fleur Cardinale for what they have achieved here, producing just eight barrels from an unusual blend and using only first generation fruit. This is full of energy and extremely dark-fruited in expression, showing damson and black cherries alongside softly smoked and grilled almond notes. It has great tension, poise and minerality, and I love it, even if it remains an unusual creation and not typical of their usual style. It will eventually be bottled in just 1,000 magnums. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040. April 2018.

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, zart mit Veilchen unterlegte schwarze Beerenfrucht, dezente Edelholzwürze, feine tabakige Nuancen. Saftig, elegant, reife Brombeerfrucht, mineralisch, reife Tannine, frisch strukturiert, gut entwickelt salzig-zitroniger Nachhall. Mai 2018.

Fleur Cardinale did extremely well in 2017, despite losing 80% of vines because of frost. They will only produce 1000 magnums, individually signed, through their net of negociants/wine shops. The wine showed splendidly aromatic fruit, silky tannin, splendid acidity and complexity. Long finish. Avril 2018.

A fresh and bright red with plum and currant character. Medium-bodied, tight and focused. On it. April 2018.

A rare chance to taste this wine, as there are only 140 bottles left at the estate after a savage frost that affected 97% of the vineyard, save a sliver of clay soils around the main château. Inevitably this means an unusual blend, with more Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon than in most vintages. The Cabernet dominance comes through in the floral, slightly austere character of the aromatics and tannins. It's a brilliant wine, although more savoury in character than a usual Fleur Cardinale, with pure cassis, damson, rosebud, rose petals, a touch of bracken. The overall structure has relaxed since I last tasted in En Primeur, and the soft smoke notes curl around the fruit, adding complexity. 100% integral vinification in 500l new oak vats, then moved into one year old barrels for ageing. This was the first vintage Ludovic Decoster made as techincal director, and he said he has found it hard to taste ever since, because it brings back the feelings of the morning after the frost and seeing the devasation that had been wrought. Only 1,000 magnums were bottled - each one a moving reminder than wine is a time capsule of a vintage.
October 2021

The 2017 Château Fleur Cardinale is a tweaked blend of 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that’s aging in 100% new French oak. Unfortunately, due to the April frosts, there are only 1,000 magnums being produced, but it’s a terrific effort that has more depth and length than most. Cassis, spicy oak, tobacco, and some graphite nuances give way to a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, balanced 2017 that has rock solid mid-palate density, present, ripe tannin, and a good finish. Give it a few years. April 2018.

Robe noire. Joli nez de cerise noire. Le vin est suave, charmant, les tannins sont plus souples qu’en 2016, bonne densité, beau corps. Toute petite récolte en 2017 hélas, 1000 magnums issues des parcelles culminantes qui n’ont pas gelé. La proportion des cépages est différente avec 45 % merlot, 35 % cabernet-franc et 20 % cabernet-sauvignon. 3-12 ans. Avril 2018.

Deep purple red with violet hue and black core. Excellent nose with expressive character, blackcurrants, black cherries and hints of sweet elderberries. On the palate elegant but well structured with ripe tannins and pleasant length. April 2018.

Florales Bouquet, Blumen, Himbeeren, Toast, Schokolade. Gute Dichte, saftig, viel jugendliches Tannin, gut stüttzende Säure, reife Brombeeren, Nougat, gute Längue. Es werden nur 1000 Magnum-flaschen abgefüll!

Particulièrement malmenée par le gel, la famille Decoster a relevé le gant et a bichonné le peu de raisins qu'il lui restait pour produire l'équivalent de 1000 magnums. On retrouve l'ADN Fleur Cardinale (fruits noirs séveux, texture ultra veloutée, tanins civilisés) mais avec un style inédit : le merlot qui domine d'ordinaire l'assemblage s'efface ici devant le binôme cabernet franc / cabernet sauvignon, majoritairement issu de terroirs calcaires. Il en ressort une arête dorsale très ciselée, un caractère un peu plus "janséniste" que d'habitude, mais qui semble promis à un grand avenir.

Fleur Cardinale was hit very hard by the frost—nearly all the vineyards were wiped out. Potential production for 2017 is only around 1,000 magnums. The tentative blend of the 2017 Fleur Cardinale is 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very deep purple-black in color, it has a nose of baked blackberries, black cherries and dried mulberries with touches of underbrush, truffles and Chinese five spice. The palate is medium to full-bodied, velvety and packed with black fruits, finishing long and spicy. April 2018.

Due to heavy frost damage, only 1,000 numbered magnums were produced for this vintage. Blue-black dark with a faultlessly effective density of flavor, richness and length, the wine is round with impressive quantities of dark chocolate, licorice and juicy plums. April 2018.

Le nez est concentré, fruité, élégant, fin, délicat et offre une fine fraicheur, une jolie complexité, de la densité, un joli grain fin ainsi que de l’harmonie. On y retrouve des notes de cerise noire, de mûre et plus légèrement de framboise sauvage associées à de fines touches de boisé toasté, d’amande, de petites baies charnues, d’épices ainsi qu’à une très discrète pointe de fleurs/lys (en fond), à une pointe de poivre gris et à une imperceptible pointe de muscade. La bouche est fruitée, élégante, juteuse et offre une jolie définition, une jolie finesse du grain, de la puissance, de la vivacité, une très belle délicatesse / finesse, une fine fraicheur, de la tension, de l’harmonie, du soyeux, un très fin charnu / densité, une très belle précision, une fine droiture, une minéralité racée ainsi qu’une jolie complexité. En bouche, ce vin exprime des notes de mûre charnue, de cassis charnus et de baies rouges sauvages associées à de fines touches de framboise sauvage, de fines pointes de fleurs, d’épices, de poivre gris ainsi qu’à de discrètes touches de boisé toasté, d’amande torréfiée et à une imperceptible pointe de fève tonka. Les tannins sont très fins, élégants, droits et légèrement fermes. Bonne longueur et persistance. Présence d’une pointe de cacao amer, de fruits charnus ainsi que d’une subtile pointe d’amande fraiche et de minéralité racée/calcaire sur la persistance. Belle réussite ! Avril 2018.

The 2017 Fleur Cardinale is extraordinary. Sumptuous and explosive, rich, deep, head spinning wine endowed with magnificent intensity. A rush of red cherry, raspberry, leather and floral notes lift from the glass. Even with all of its richness, the 2017 possesses remarkable freshness and energy. Sadly, frost lowered production from 60-70,000 bottles to what will be around 1,000 magnums. Tasted two times. April 2018.

The 2017 Fleur Cardinale, which was 50% affected by frost, has a flamboyant bouquet that is fortunately well defined and shows a little more composure than past vintages that I often felt were over-egged. This shows more linearity and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, supple tannin, judicious touches of white pepper and Asian spice that enliven the sustained finish whilst all the time retaining a sense of freshness and drinkability. Hopefully a prudent barrel maturation will ensure this turns into a fine Saint-Émilion. April 2018.

This has a toasty profile, featuring ganache and warm tobacco notes surrounding a core of lightly steeped plum and blackberry fruit. Shows good flesh and depth, with a graphite accent buried through the finish. A very solid version of the style. April 2018.

Pourpre violacé profond. Bouquet élégant, filigrane. Beaucoup de finesse avec des effluves de baies noires et une touche d’épices. Mise en bouche savoureuse et crémeuse. Au palais, le vin a un corps de bonne intensité et est bien soutenu par sa structure acide. Les tannins assurent les arrières et soutiennent l’ensemble. Finale fruitée. Très belle tension en fin de bouche. Le plateau calcaire joue son vatout à merveille. Une belle réussite et un peu de baume sur le cœur de la famille Decoster. 2024–2037. Avril 2018.