95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A blend of 74% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Château Fleur Cardinale spent 14 months in new French oak. Deep ruby/purple-colored, with a stunning nose of smoked black fruits, classy oak, violets, and camphor, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful purity, ripe, present, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's a beautiful wine from this tip-top estate that has the class to keep for two decades or more. Drink: 2019-2039. (2/28/19)"
95 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "Plump, well-ripened but mellow fruit from the first nose. Touches of violet florality also as the Cabernet Franc takes the lead, and again the minerality is emphasised with a slate texture on the finish which does a brilliant job of counterbalancing the generous ripeness of the fruit. Crushed mint, liquorice, bitter chocolate on the finish also, this is gourmet and easy to love. Still has an austerity at this point – it needs another few years to really soften. These are lovely wines full of confidence and pleasure with their own distinct personality. 100% new oak. Drinking Window: 2023-2044. (Oct 2019)"
94 points James Suckling: "Quite earthy and savory on the nose, the fruit only emerging slowly. However, on the palate, this has a very attractive fleshy quality and a moderately dry, long finish of some real sophistication. Easy to drink now, but will hold. A blend of 74 per cent merlot, 18 per cent cabernet franc and eight per cent cabernet sauvignon. (4/22/21)"
93 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and bursts from the glass with crushed blackberries, mulberries and chocolate-covered cherries with hints of spice cake, dried herbs and fragrant soil. The palate is medium to full-bodied and wonderfully elegant with soft, rounded tannins and a great backbone of freshness, finishing perfumed. Drink: 2019-2034. (Mar 2019)"
93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a sumptuous wine. There is no shortage of richness or volume here, that much is obvious. Sweet tobacco, leather, espresso and cherry abound. The 2016 is exotic and flamboyant in style, and yet the new oak is overdone to the point that the early signs of oxidation are already present. I very much like the intensity here, but the reality is that the 2016 could have and should have been an even better wine. Drink: 2021-2036. (Jan 2019)"
93 points CellarTracker.com community score.
95 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "Plump, well-ripened but mellow fruit from the first nose. Touches of violet florality also as the Cabernet Franc takes the lead, and again the minerality is emphasised with a slate texture on the finish which does a brilliant job of counterbalancing the generous ripeness of the fruit. Crushed mint, liquorice, bitter chocolate on the finish also, this is gourmet and easy to love. Still has an austerity at this point – it needs another few years to really soften. These are lovely wines full of confidence and pleasure with their own distinct personality. 100% new oak. Drinking Window: 2023-2044. (Oct 2019)"
94 points James Suckling: "Quite earthy and savory on the nose, the fruit only emerging slowly. However, on the palate, this has a very attractive fleshy quality and a moderately dry, long finish of some real sophistication. Easy to drink now, but will hold. A blend of 74 per cent merlot, 18 per cent cabernet franc and eight per cent cabernet sauvignon. (4/22/21)"
93 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and bursts from the glass with crushed blackberries, mulberries and chocolate-covered cherries with hints of spice cake, dried herbs and fragrant soil. The palate is medium to full-bodied and wonderfully elegant with soft, rounded tannins and a great backbone of freshness, finishing perfumed. Drink: 2019-2034. (Mar 2019)"
93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a sumptuous wine. There is no shortage of richness or volume here, that much is obvious. Sweet tobacco, leather, espresso and cherry abound. The 2016 is exotic and flamboyant in style, and yet the new oak is overdone to the point that the early signs of oxidation are already present. I very much like the intensity here, but the reality is that the 2016 could have and should have been an even better wine. Drink: 2021-2036. (Jan 2019)"
93 points CellarTracker.com community score.
| Product SKU | 340459 |
| Producer | Fleur Cardinale |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| SubRegion | Right Bank |
| Appellation | St-Émilion |
| Varietal | Cabernet/Bordeaux Blends |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Color | Red |
| Blend | 74% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| ABV | 14.5% |
| Ships To |
