Château Cardinal

Sensory Profile of Château Cardinal

A Deep Ruby Red Appearance

Château Cardinal presents itself with a ruby red appearance that is intense, bright, and dense. This beautiful color announces a rich and generous profile.

A Nose of Black Fruits and Spices

On the nose, the wine reveals deep aromas of ripe black fruits such as blackcurrant, blueberry, and black cherry, reflecting a beautiful fruit maturity. Subtle spicy notes complement this complex bouquet, adding warmth and character.

A Powerful and Balanced Palate

On the palate, Château Cardinal offers a structured framework, supported by melted tannins and well-balanced freshness. The balance between intense black fruits and a discreet woody touch gives a wine that is both elegant, indulgent, and long on the finish.

Tasting and Food Pairings

A Structured, Balanced, and Slightly Spicy Wine

Château Cardinal is appreciated for its beautiful structure and balance between power and finesse. Its notes of ripe black fruits, enhanced by a touch of sweet spices, make it a wine of character, without excess.

For optimal tasting, it is recommended to serve it around 17°C, after light aeration that will reveal all its aromatic complexity.

Food Pairings with Château Cardinal

This Montagne Saint-Émilion pairs wonderfully with generous and flavorful cuisine. It reveals its full potential alongside grilled red meats such as ribeye or duck breast, but also with slow-cooked dishes like beef bourguignon.

Its structure and elegance also make it an excellent companion for a platter of aged hard cheeses.

Production Method

Careful Vinification to Reveal the Fruit.

Each step of the vinification aims to extract fruit aromas, tannins contained in the skins and seeds while promoting the expression of the clay-limestone terroir of Montagne Saint Emilion. After harvests carried out at optimal maturity, the grapes are destemmed and crushed then subjected to a pre-fermentative maceration at cold for 3 to 5 days at around 8°C. This aqueous phase step allows gentle extraction of aromatic compounds as well as anthocyanins responsible for the color.

The alcoholic fermentation takes place at controlled temperature: pumping over is done daily and about 3 rack and returns are positioned at specific densities.

This fermentation is followed by a post-fermentative maceration at hot around 29°C for 8 to 10 days. This phase promotes tannin extraction contained in the grape skins and seeds to structure the wine while preserving its balance.

The malolactic fermentation is then conducted to bring suppleness and roundness to the whole. Vinification is done exclusively in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness and fruity expression of the wine, without woody influence.

The aging continues for 18 months in stainless steel or cement tanks.

A portion is aged in wood (French oaks from the Tronçais forest).

Close collaboration with the Taransaud cooperage located in the Cognac region allows rigorous selection of the woods used for aging, with medium toasting to avoid over-oaking the wines. The goal is to strengthen the structure, add aromatic complexity while preserving fruit aromas.

(possible link to Taransaud site) Taransaud - Excellence in Cooperage

An Exceptional Terroir

The Prestigious Terroir of Saint Émilion

Saint-Émilion is one of the most renowned appellations in Bordeaux, famous for its great red wines that are snapped up worldwide. What is less known is that it is surrounded by four so-called "satellite" appellations: Lussac, Saint-Georges, Puisseguin, and Montagne Saint-Émilion. Located northeast of Saint-Émilion, these appellations benefit from quality terroir and offer accessible wines, while retaining the style and elegance unique to Saint-Émilion.

A Satellite of Saint Émilion: Montagne Saint Émilion

Château Cardinal comes from a 10-hectare vineyard located on the plateau of Montagne Saint-Émilion: the largest satellite with over 1,500 hectares of vines. Its hilly, clay-limestone terroir, similar to that of Saint-Émilion, is ideal for Merlot, the king grape in the region. The best wines from the satellites often come from Montagne, which produces characterful wines at attractive prices.

A Wine for Aging

Thanks to its structure and balance, Château Cardinal can be enjoyed now, but also has good aging potential of 5 to 10 years depending on storage conditions. It will gain complexity over time, revealing elegant tertiary notes.