Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
An estate that is just doing such good work right now. This was delicious en primeur and for me a little better in bottle. Has that slow slate-textured finish that makes things inch along slowly, giving time to appreciate the rich berry fruits and floral edge to the aromatics. An interesting initiative in the packaging also, with a wooden cask that has instructions for being turned into a bird box afterwards, encouraging recycling.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from a tiny parcel next to Fleur Cardinale and 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Croix Cardinale has a beautiful, complex nose of red and black fruits, white truffle, flowers, and sandalwood. With an almost Pomerol-like elegance, it nevertheless has beautiful minerality and limestone character, ripe, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It's beautifully done and shines on all accounts. It's going to impress for 15+ years.
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Wine Spectator
This glides in seductively, with crushed plum, warmed raspberry compote and black currant paste flavors that have subtle energy, while hints of black tar, singed alder and savory underscore the finish. For more near-term consumption, thanks to its copious fruit. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
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James Suckling
Currants, wild raspberries, hazelnuts, dried herbs and flowers on the nose. Some meaty aromas, too. It’s medium-bodied with sleek tannins. Fresh and silky. A little light on the finish, but very attractive. 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc. Try from 2023.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, possessing 14.5% alcohol, the 2018 Croix Cardinale is deep garnet-purple colored, bursting from the glass with notions of juicy black and red plums, lifted cherries and baked raspberries, plus suggestions of fruitcake and woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate offers harmonious baked black and red fruits with a well-knit frame of soft tannins and a lively backbone, finishing on a fragrant earth note.
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Wine Enthusiast
This smoothly rich wine comes from an estate under the same ownership as cru classé Fleur Cardinale. It is spicy, dense with blackberry fruits and swathes of ripeness. This opulent wine will age relatively quickly.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.