89 -90 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2011

Plenty of good fruit with mineral and blueberry character. Full and chewy with polished tannins and a violet fruit undertones. Well made.

Jeff Loo, JJ Buckley, April 2012

70% merlot, 20% cabernet franc, and 10% cabernet sauvignon. 15% potential alcohol. From a 20-hectare property on a high point to the east of the town of St. Emilion. Average vine age is 35 years, planted in rich clay atop limestone. Soils are primarily clay-limestone. Grapes are sorted by hand before and after de-stemming, with fermentation in small stainless steel vats. The wine is aged in 100% new oak. Crimson core with a garnet rim. The wine opens with aromas of smoked meats, plum, red currant, and spice, complemented by prune, chocolate, and a soft floral accent. Full-bodied and showcasing the vintage with racy acidity and subdued tannins. Roasted coffee, mocha, and lavender flavors lead to an elegant yet powerful finish. Give this 3-5 years after bottling and enjoy for the following 10-15. Jean Philippe Fort consults. Tasted three times. Drink 2016-2030.

92 -94 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

Another top-notch success, the 2011 (70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) hit 15% natural alcohol. Yields were a low 30 hectoliters per hectare, and the harvest occurred quite late. The result is a dense purple-colored wine with a stunning bouquet of blackberry jam, graphite, charcoal and blueberries. With superb density and purity as well as a multidimensional mouthfeel, this intense St.-Emilion is a sleeper of the vintage, although consumers are catching on to the exquisite quality emerging from La Fleur Cardinale. The 2011 should drink well for 15+ years.

This property has been on a qualitative hot streak since it was acquired by the Decoster family nearly a decade ago. Consultants are the impressive Jean-Philippe Fort (from Michel Rolland's laboratory) and Jean-Luc Thunevin.

90 -93 points,

Wine Spectator, April 2012

A ripe, fleshy style, with lots of fig and mulled blackberry and blueberry fruit. Good toast and ganache notes thread this together, with a muscular feel on the finish. An overt style, but well done.-J.M.

About Winery

Fleur Cardinale's name comes from the names of two horses owned by the first owner of the estate.  The estate sold its fruit on the Bordeaux market, but it wasn't until 1982 that Fleur Cardinale gained its reputation for excellent winemaking.  In 2001, the Decoster family gained possession of the vineyard and began to integrate biodynamic farming techniques while continuing the traditions of the estate in their winemaking.  In 2006, Chateau Fleur Cardinale was nominated to "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe".

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