EN PRIMEUR Chateau Fleur Cardinale Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2023 i trækasse

95-96/100 Vertdevin

94-95/100 James Suckling Juicy and vivid white citrus character and mineral crunchiness. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. Tense, and lightly phenolic in the end. Good tension and length.

92-95/100 Antonio Galloni The 2023 Fleur Cardinale is gorgeous. Vivid, heady and explosive, the 2023 has a ton to offer. I especially admire its energy and overall drive. Black cherry, mocha, gravel, spice, chocolate and menthol all blossom in this explosive, full-throttle Saint-Émilion. Tasted two times.

94/100 Falstaff Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections. Ripe cherries, hints of liquorice, ripe plums, a hint of candied orange zest, inviting bouquet. Juicy, ripe fruit, elegant texture, ripe tannins, subtle nougat, mineral and persistent, salty finish, good ageing potential.

93-94/100 My Bettane & Desseauve

93-94/100 Alexandre Ma

92-94/100 The Wine Cellar Insider Chocolate covered black cherries, licorice, plums, and espresso nuances are all over the place on the nose, and on the lush, polished, round palate. The blend is 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. All that extra Cabernet really makes a difference adding more freshness, complexity, and individuality. Drink from 2027-2040.

92-94/100 Jeb Dunnuck The Grand Vin 2023 Château Fleur Cardinale checks in as 56% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that hit 14.5% alcohol and 3.6 pH, raised in 45% new French oak, with 15% in demi-muids, 10% in wooden vats, and 10% in amphora. It has a gorgeous, incredible limestone-driven bouquet of black raspberries, chalky minerality, flowers, and spicy nuances. This medium-bodied, concentrated, beautifully balanced Saint-Emilion has remarkable purity, fine, chalky tannins, the juicy, elegant style of the vintage, and outstanding length. It's a more focused, mineral-driven effort compared to its Croix Cardinale sibling.

93/100 Jane Anson Vibrant plum colour, this is silky with sweet damson fruit, showing a real sense of personality and lift, beautifully measured progression through the palate, this has cocoa bean, liqourice, black tea, pomegranate, a ton of energy and concentration, well judged grilled oak. 3.6ph. 45% new oak, plus amhoras, foudfres, demui muids,15hl/h yield, so extremely low, making the skilful assembly of the wine even more impressive. Decoster family.

91-93/100 The Drink Business (Saint Émilion; 56% Merlot; 37% Cabernet Franc; 7% Cabernet Sauvignon; from a lovely vintage on a rather special terroir of 27.6 ha; a final yield of just 15 hl/ha; tasted at La Dominique and then at the property with Caroline Decoster; Ludivine Chagnon is the new technical director, having joined the team from Laroque in September 2023). Note the very low yields – mildew I presume. A touch of cordite, struck match, myrrh and exotic spices, black cherries and plump crunchy bright and fresh blackcurrants and blueberries. Cassis, too, with a little aeration and we find this again on the palate. Deep but not especially concentrated, despite the relatively narrow frame. The calcaire tannins hold this tight to the spine. Nicely structured but this lacks a little density. Luminous and very precise, however.