Château Fleur Cardinale Surf Session Saint-Émilion 2019 - Grand Cru Classé (Magnum)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Florence and Dominique Decoster, their son Ludovic, and his wife Caroline have developed a passion for this 23-hectare hillside estate near the town of Castillon. The wines display a rare richness, even in average vintages, and have gained finesse in their tannic structure. It is one of Saint-Émilion’s safest bets, and the new winery is already yielding greater precision and purity. What progress has been made and what efforts have been invested! This estate is on its way to the top.

Decanter

About the wine:

Aromas of smoked coffee beans and ripe blackcurrants. The texture and flavor of this wine are excellent; it is full of herbal notes and black fruits with a hint of licorice (primarily cherries). It is so well-integrated that no single aspect stands out. The tannins are incredibly fine and velvety. The acidity is well-balanced, supporting both the fruit’s density and its freshness. Without a doubt, this is a wine of impressive stature, combining power and balance. Harmonious, charming, and elegant. A very complete wine that balances generous fruit, tannins, acidity, and mineral freshness. You can tell it has been excellently crafted. It exudes a true, sculpted, and refined purity. A great wine, still as juicy and appealing on the finish. A first-rate purchase. Best enjoyed between 2027 and 2045.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

In 2001, Dominique and Florence Decoster acquired Château Fleur Cardinale, a 23.5-hectare estate situated on one of the highest points of the AOC, east of Saint-Émilion. Their investments quickly paid off: the wine, which has shown steady improvement, entered the ranks of the “classified” wines in 2006, a classification confirmed in 2012. The estate expanded by 4 hectares in 2011 with the purchase of the neighboring La Croix Cardinale vineyard. Ludovic Decoster joined the estate in 2015 and serves as the estate manager.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

The Decoster family (with roots in Limoges porcelain, specifically Haviland) spares no effort in making this wine one of the appellation’s most reliable choices. This beautiful estate, located in the eastern part of Saint-Émilion, north of Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, benefits from a generous clay terroir that demands patience to achieve a high level of ripeness. The Fleur Cardinale vineyard is located in the latest-ripening sector of the Grand Crus Classés. With guidance from Jean-Luc Thunevin, the estate produces wines with a modern, rich, and flattering style, often bordering on overripeness. Expanded by 8 hectares with the 2012 classification, the estate now covers 23.5 hectares. Of these 8 hectares from La Croix Cardinale (a brand the Decosters still produce), 4 hectares are used for the Fleur Cardinale grand vin.

James Suckling

About the wine:

A beautiful clarity of crushed red berries, dried flowers, and thinly sliced oyster mushrooms on the nose. Full-bodied, with layers of ripe tannins and juicy fruit. Hints of chocolate and nuts come through, along with notes of vanilla beans. Magnificent.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

The nose is quite subtle, refined, and delicate, as if it were blushing shyly. After hints of elderflower, it opens up to a palate that is incredibly smooth, clear, and pure, with notes of black fruit, spices, and cloves, and a finish of great tenderness.

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

With a subtle, slightly woody nose, the surprise comes on the palate, which is full-bodied and flavorful. "A little gem," comments one taster, noting its meticulous construction, a heady and opulent palate, quite sunny, with juicy red fruit. The wine is delicious yet dense, with a very elegant tannic structure. You’ll already be looking forward to having it again. It is a well-rounded, distinguished wine with good aging potential.

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is all finesse and elegance, offering a lovely airy character, controlled power, complexity, and a certain depth. It features notes of wild blackberry, camphor, and violet combined with hints of juicy, tart blue berries, blueberry, and lily, as well as subtle hints of pepper and a subtle touch of local character. The palate is fruity, refined, elegant, and balanced, displaying subtlety and delicacy in its power and structure, and offers juiciness, smoothness, a tangy backbone, good definition, richness, and a lovely finesse of texture. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy, pulpy blackcurrant, pulpy raspberry, and a lighter hint of blueberry, combined with touches of pulpy redcurrants, as well as subtle hints of lily, plum, chocolate, caramelization, and an imperceptible hint of sweet spices. The tannins are precise, powerful, polished, well-integrated, and elegant.