LAST CALL, WE ARE MOVING ON, GET IT NOW!!
STILL ONE OF THE SEXIEST WINES OF THE VINTAGE AS WELL AS ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITES- STEVE
"Beautiful aromas of black licorice, berry and vanilla follow through to a full body, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Polished and very pretty. Incredibly well done for this estate. Best after 2016. 5,700 cases made." (WS)
"A stunning sleeper of the vintage, quality at this property has soared under the relatively new owners, Dominique and Florence Decosters. The 2005, a blend of 70% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, was fashioned from yields of 33 hectoliters per hectare. This concentrated wine possesses a gorgeous bouquet of smoke, black currant liqueur, lead pencil shavings, cedar, and Asian spices. In the mouth, it displays a chocolaty richness, a beautiful texture, an expansive, multilayered mouthfeel, and a 45-second finish. A fabulous effort, it will be drinkable in 4-5 years, and should last for over two decades." (WA)
"($55-$65) Good deep red-ruby. Superripe, slightly high-toned aromas of black cherry, blackberry, mocha and licorice, with a hint of minerality adding complexity. Sweet and generous but with excellent flavor definition and plenty of underlying structure; in fact, this very juicy, fresh, mineral-driven wine shows a restrained sweetness and seems to be shutting down in the bottle. Builds impressively on the back end, with the chewy tannins coating the teeth. This should be superb in seven or eight years." (IWC)
THE PERSONIFICATION OF A PARKER FULL BODIED ’05 RED BORDEAUX
2005 CHATEAU FLEUR CARDINAL, St. Emilion Grand cru
This ’05 Fleur Cardinal contains in spades all those qualities that Robert Parker finds so desirable in a red wine and that’s why he gives it a prestigious 95 points. Qualities of richness, concentration of flavor, that extract character that comes for using late harvest very ripe grapes from older low-production, severely pruned vines. As exemplified in the severe change of style that turned for example Ch. Pavie from the least interesting St. Emil¬ion Premier Grand Cru (until the mid/late 1990’s) into now one of the most expensive and sought after of all St.Emilion wines.
Some (like Jancis Robinson) find this big extraction taste overdone and lacking the subtitles of classic Bordeaux. There is something to say for this, on the other hand you need only taste an older Pavie and compare it to the new releases, to see that this “Parkerization” had produced an all around superior wine.
Anyway, Fleur Cardinale (like the above-mentioned Ch. Pavie) is a bold fellow in this rich Michel Rolland style and at a third the price of Pavie. And I can do no better then quote Parker when he says of this ’05, “The 2005, a blend of 70% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, was fashioned from yields of 33 hectoliters per hectare. This concentrated wine possesses a gorgeous bouquet of smoke, black currant liqueur, lead pencil shavings, cedar, and Asian spices. In the mouth, it displays a chocolaty richness, a beautiful texture, an expansive, multilayered mouth feel, and a 45-second finish. A fabulous effort, it will be drink¬able in 4-5 years, and should last for over two decades.”
The Fleur Cardinale vineyard covers some 24 acres, producing about 4,500 cases per year. It seems scarcely credible now, but until the mid-1980’s the wine from this chateau sold only in bulk to the trade and its quality was indistinguishable from other so-so almost dull St.Emilions. Since then due to Herculean efforts in the vineyard and the winery, it is now one of the most distinguished of Saint Emilion Grand Cru rated wines. With 2005 being there best wine yet.
Regular price is around $100, with L.A. Wine Co. selling it for under $80.
RATING: 95
PRICE: $79.95
(Martin's Guide to Wine Bargains)
Today’s post is written by Brian Hewitt, guest blogger, wine lover/collector and father of your’s truly.
Let’s face it, consistently picking a knock-out Bordeaux is more of a challenge than picking a killer California cab. Bordeaux is nearly eight times the size of Napa Valley, so naturally, there is a wider range of styles produced there. Add in the significant variation from vintage to vintage and picking a winner can be a challenge. Knowing this, my usual plan is to try it first on someone else’s nickel. I violated my own rule for a weekend trip to Scottsdale, bought a single bottle of 2005 Chateau Fleur Cardinale and am running back for more.
My average price per bottle is creeping higher (we can argue about the long term impact of that later) but I still think about it before spending $59.95 on a bottle of wine. When I do, I expect a return on the investment. This Saint-Emilion Gran Cru is a hit at that price, start to finish. It opens with a classic complex Bordeaux nose but that is just the beginning. Subtle vanilla and blackberry notes lead to a pronounced yet pleasing dry finish and finish and finish…(Nickel & Dime) |
