Chateau de Candale St. Emilion Bordeaux, Complete Guide

chateau  candale

Learn everything about Chateau de Candale St. Emilion with wine tasting notes, wine, and food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau de Candale History, Overview

Chateau de Candale has been an estate in St. Emilion for centuries. The estate takes its name from the original founder of the property, Lady Margaret de Suddolk Kandall. The name was eventually shortened, and a phonetic spelling was chosen. Still, it is nice to be remembered.

The modern era for Chateau de Candale begins for the estate when the vineyard was purchased by Jean Louis Vicard in 2010 from the Adams family. Stephen Adams and Denise Adams still own the neighboring Saint Emilion estate, Chateau Fonplegade.

Jean Louis Vicard was already familiar with the Bordeaux wine trade as he was one of the more successful coopers, producing barrels in the Cognac region at his family company, Cooperage Vicard, that was founded all the way back in 1875.

One of the first decisions made by Jean Louis Vicard was to bring in the team of Stephane Derenoncourt to consult on the winemaking and vineyard management for Chateau de Candale.

Since the estate was first purchased, Jean Louis Vicard has increased the size of the estate from 11 hectares to its current 13-hectare size. In January 2017, Chateau de Candale was purchased by Thibaut Decoster and Magali Decoster who also own and manage 2 additional Bordeaux vineyards in Saint Emilion, Clos des Jacobins, and Chateau La Commanderie.

Chateau de Candale Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The Right Bank vineyard is planted to 84% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard is located east of the Saint Emilion village, not too far from Tertre Roteboeuf.

The terroir is clay and limestone soils and can be divided into 32 separate parcels. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 6,000 vines per hectare. On average, the vines are kept at 30 years of age. Vineyard farming practices are self-sustaining.

To produce the wine of Chateau de Candale, the whole berry grapes are vinified in open-top, conical-shaped wood vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged in an average of 40% new, French oak barrels for between 12 to 18 months before bottling. As you might expect, the barrels were made by the owner, Jean Louis Vicard.

The best vintages of Chateau de Candale are: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010, and 2009.

There is a second wine, Roc de Candale. On average, the production is close to 4,200 cases of wine per year of Chateau de Candale.

When to Drink Chateau Candale, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Candale is usually better with 3-4 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage. Chateau Candale is best enjoyed in the first 3-12 years of life.

Young vintages can be decanted for up to 1 hour or so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Serving Chateau de Candale with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau de Candale is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Chateau de Candale is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes.

Chateau Candale is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

Aside from making wine, Chateau de Candale has earned a good reputation with local residents for their restaurant, L’Atelier de Candale, which offers a charming outdoor, wine country setting in Bordeaux.

http://chateau-de-candale.fr

Château de Candale Wine Tasting Notes

11 Vintages 16,519 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating

2022
91
Black cherries, espresso and flowers are what you expect from the wine, due to its deep color. The wine is soft, fresh, elegant, medium-bodied, forward, round and fruity, on the palate and on the backend. Drink from 2025-2037. 90-92 Pts.

Black cherries, espresso and flowers are what you expect from the wine, due to its deep color. The wine is soft, fresh, elegant, medium-bodied, forward, round and fruity, on the palate and on the backend. Drink from 2025-2037. 90-92 Pts.

1,227 Views   Tasted
2021
89
Produced from 100% Merlot, the wine is soft, medium-bodied, easy-drinking and ready to deliver its sweet, plums with a dash of cocoa as soon as the wine hits the stores. Drink from 2024-2031.

Produced from 100% Merlot, the wine is soft, medium-bodied, easy-drinking and ready to deliver its sweet, plums with a dash of cocoa as soon as the wine hits the stores. Drink from 2024-2031.

172 Views   Tasted
2021
88
Bright, fresh and fruity with a raspberry, smoke and espresso edge to the crisp, juicy red fruit on the palate. Drink from 2023-2032. 87-89

Bright, fresh and fruity with a raspberry, smoke and espresso edge to the crisp, juicy red fruit on the palate. Drink from 2023-2032. 87-89

1,004 Views   Tasted
2020
91
Over the past few years, de Candale has been improving and 2020 continues that trend. Medium-bodied, soft, silky and vibrant, the elegant, supple-texture wine leaves you with a sweet layer of black cherries with a touch of spice in the endnote. Drink from 2023-2038.

Over the past few years, de Candale has been improving and 2020 continues that trend. Medium-bodied, soft, silky and vibrant, the elegant, supple-texture wine leaves you with a sweet layer of black cherries with a touch of spice in the endnote. Drink from 2023-2038.

497 Views   Tasted
2020
91
Mineral driven, dark red fruits, savory herbs and a touch of oak are the first things you notice. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied,, with silky tannins, freshness and salinity in the endnote. This should be delicious to drink shortly after release. 90-92 Pts

Mineral driven, dark red fruits, savory herbs and a touch of oak are the first things you notice. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied,, with silky tannins, freshness and salinity in the endnote. This should be delicious to drink shortly after release. 90-92 Pts

1,177 Views   Tasted
2019
90
With a dark ruby color, the wine is round, rich, plush and polished, showing a lot of ripe, sweet pit fruits, jam and black cherries with a dollop of chocolate in the medium-bodied, fresh finish. This should be delicious to drink on release. 89-91 Pts

With a dark ruby color, the wine is round, rich, plush and polished, showing a lot of ripe, sweet pit fruits, jam and black cherries with a dollop of chocolate in the medium-bodied, fresh finish. This should be delicious to drink on release. 89-91 Pts

1,694 Views   Tasted
2018
90
Toffee, espresso, plum and cherry tones come up in the nose. Medium-bodied, fresh and bright, with soft, round red pit fruits I the finish. The wine will be just great on release.

Toffee, espresso, plum and cherry tones come up in the nose. Medium-bodied, fresh and bright, with soft, round red pit fruits I the finish. The wine will be just great on release.

648 Views   Tasted
Round, juicy, mature and fresh, there is an admirable sweetness to the juicy red fruits. There is energy in the cherries, cocoa and licorice which powers through to the finish. 89-91 Pts

Round, juicy, mature and fresh, there is an admirable sweetness to the juicy red fruits. There is energy in the cherries, cocoa and licorice which powers through to the finish. 89-91 Pts

1,175 Views   Tasted
2017
88
Black cherry, earth, licorice and flower aromas pique your interest in this medium bodied, early drinking wine. Prepare for an blitz of sweet cherry on the palate and in the finish.

Black cherry, earth, licorice and flower aromas pique your interest in this medium bodied, early drinking wine. Prepare for an blitz of sweet cherry on the palate and in the finish.

1,389 Views   Tasted
2016
90
Forward, elegant and medium-bodied, the wine is smoky with licorice accented ripe, juicy plums, ending with a soft, polished finish.

Forward, elegant and medium-bodied, the wine is smoky with licorice accented ripe, juicy plums, ending with a soft, polished finish.

1,331 Views   Tasted
Refined elegance with juicy ripe plum, licorice, black cherry and smoke, this medium/full-bodied wine has soft, polished tannins and a fine, fruity finish.

Refined elegance with juicy ripe plum, licorice, black cherry and smoke, this medium/full-bodied wine has soft, polished tannins and a fine, fruity finish.

1,892 Views   Tasted
2015
89
A forward and dapper charmer with supple textures, soft, round and fruity with a nice blast of licorice, black cherry and espresso in the finish.

A forward and dapper charmer with supple textures, soft, round and fruity with a nice blast of licorice, black cherry and espresso in the finish.

2,142 Views   Tasted
2009
89
Forward, soft, round and fruity, with a nice blast of licorice, black cherry and oak in the finish.

Forward, soft, round and fruity, with a nice blast of licorice, black cherry and oak in the finish.

2,171 Views   Tasted