2011 Château Croix Cardinale St. Émilion Grand Cru Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
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2011
Château Croix Cardinale (St. Émilion Grand Cru)
2011 is the debut vintage for the Decosters, the owners of Fleur Cardinale and Secret de Cardinale. With the name Croix Cardinale, are you sensing a pattern here? Truffle, chocolate, licorice and jammy black berries are found in the perfume. Rich, polished, sexy and long, the plush finish is filled with chocolate-covered plums. From a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 15% ABV and will be aged in 100% new oak. 91-93 Pts 2,314 Views Tasted Apr 24, 2012 |
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.