2004 Château Fleur Cardinale St. Émilion Grand Cru Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
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2004
Château Fleur Cardinale (St. Émilion Grand Cru)
Only the third vintage for the new owners, and it is obvious that things continue improving here. Medium bodied, and soft in texture, the dark red fruits offer the right levels of sweetness and freshness. The smoke, tobacco, fennel, and earthy notes add to the fruits and to the fun. However, this is fully mature and should be consumed before the wine hits 20 years of age. 3,481 Views Tasted Dec 10, 2017Either there is bottle variation, or I was extremely unlucky as it took 3 bottles to find one that showed the opulent, chocolate covered cherry, licorice and lush profile that we usually expect from Fleur Cardinale. 2,720 Views Tasted Nov 30, 2014Better on the nose than the palate with its licorice, earth and black cherry perfume. This medium bodied, easy to like, round wine seems to be less interesting than it was a few years ago. I'd opt for drinking this over the next few years before it drops more of its fruit. 3,937 Views Tasted Dec 23, 2012Black raspberries, espresso bean, licorice and cassis get you going. Opulent in texture and concentrated with sweet ripe, jammy berries, this delicious wine is already drinking well. 4,799 Views Tasted Mar 6, 2010 |
When to Drink Chateau Fleur Cardinale, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Fleur Cardinale is better with at least 6-9 years of aging in good vintages. Young vintages can be decanted for 1-2 hours or more.
This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Fleur Cardinale offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 8-22 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Fleur Cardinale with Wine and Food Pairings
Chateau Fleur Cardinale is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Fleur Cardinale is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Fleur Cardinale is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.
Secret de Cardinale was an early effort at producing wine from 100% Merlot. The wine came from their clay and limestone soils and was aged in 100% new, French oak barrels for an average of 13 months. The final vintage for Secret de Cardinal was 2012. The wine is no longer being produced. The vines are now being used for the production of Fleur Cardinale.