Ch Fleur Cardinale, St-Emilion 2020

96 points James Suckling
"Attractive aromas of blueberries and mulberries with graphite, dark licorice and crushed stones. Dark chocolate, too. Full-bodied. Impressive quality to the tannin structure that starts gently and glossy and continues to build, gaining power throughout the palate. Deep and dense with a velvety dark-fruited core. Really long, tense and persistent. 77% merlot, 18% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon."

95 points Falstaff
“Deep garnet, purple reflections, opaque core, subtle brightening on the rim. Delicate tobacco and herbal savouriness, an underlay of dark wild berries, black cherries, fine nougat and fine oak notes; overall a rather shy bouquet. Complex, tightly meshed texture, fine fruit expression, supporting, ripe tannins, good freshness, mineral finish and a chocolaty aftertaste. Shows good length and certain ageing potential.”

Jancis Robinson
"Full bottle 1,345 g. Cask sample taken on 7 April. QR code gives a ton of background information such as that this is the first vintage vinified in their new cellars. They are experimenting with microvinifications and have bought two large 'amphorae'. Assemblage of the 2020 is 77% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. They are reforesting, in the RSE sustainability programme and collaborating with Franco-Senegalese poet Souleymane Diamanka. Ain't modern technology grand?!
Very dark purplish crimson. Mellow, appetising, layered nose. Really very distinctive and luscious with those tannins very beautifully disguised beneath interesting, cashmere-textured fruit with some mineral notes on the end. Very successful. It certainly isn't soft but you could almost drink it tonight. Exciting and flattering. Lots of energy. 17/20 points."