The jury is out on this wine from St. Emilion, whether to drink or hold. If you're looking for a Merlot dominant wine, look no further than this blend of 90% with added 10% Cabernet France for structure and concentration. As one would expect, it's soft and fleshy with plum and blackberry fruits, laced with clove, walnut, and black tea. This will still evolve over time but can be enjoyed now.

Jane Anson 96 Points for Inside Bordeaux: "The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a muscular, beautiful and profound wine full of olive tapendade, tar, smoked earth, and tons of liquorice, bitter chocolate shavings, cassis and blueberry fruits. Things close in to a slate textured finish that gives balance and makes your mouth water, and as things open you get clearer peony floral aromatics curling out of the glass. This was the point at which the Decoster family were really making me sit up and take notice of what was happening at Fleur Cardinale, and it is starting to sing as five years old." (11/2021)

Beautiful ruby colour . Ripe and fairly intense bouquet of crunchy red fruit (cherry). Well-integrated oak flavours. Smooth on the palate, the wine reveals excellent fruits with plenty of rich tannin.

Medium-bodied, elegant and refined, with lovely, fresh, sweet, red fruits, silky tannins and floral aromatics. The wine is bright, refined and finesse driven. There is purity in the fruit, length and energy here.
The wine was made from blending 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14.5% alcohol and aging in 50% new French oak barrels

The very expressive bouquet shows attractive hints of cherry and raspberry. The wine is ethereal on the palate, with beautiful freshness that highlights the delicious fruitiness. The long aftertaste confirms the overall charm and attractiveness.

Couvent des Jacobins 2016 develops blackberry and spicy aromas. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and fresh acidity. The finish reveals a beautiful structure.

93-96 points -Wine Spectator "This is packed with fig, boysenberry and raspberry fruit flavors that keep cascading over one another while enticing anise and plum cake notes fill in throughout. Gorgeous mouthfeel, with a creamy, rounded edge, yet never giving up a generally racy and focused feel. (JM)" (4/2017)

This underrated wine is made by the Chateau Cheval Blanc team, so it's no slouch. With 74% merlot, 14% cabernet sauvignon and 12% cabernet franc, this medium bodied wine is pure and balanced with cherry, plum, tobacco, leafy herb, and chocolate notes. Enjoy this wine now!

The 2016 Château Haut-Simard is a well-structured Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, known for its rich dark fruit (plums, cherries), hints of chocolate, spice, and earth, with velvety tannins and a fresh finish, offering complexity and aging potential from a stellar vintage. It's praised for being balanced, juicy, and expressive, showing classic Bordeaux character with notes of herbs, violets, and sometimes a peppery edge.

98 points -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "Deep purple-black colored, the 2016 Pavie Decesse bursts boldly out of the glass with confident blackcurrant preserves, baked blackberries, baked plums and sandalwood notes with touches of Indian spices, mocha and lilacs plus touches of cedar chest and pencil lead. Big, concentrated and voluptuously fruited in the mouth, it has a truly impressive structure of very firm, finely grained tannins and racy freshness lifting all that densely packed fruit to a very long, multilayered finish. Wow! (LPB)" (3/2019)

99 points - James Suckling

94 points - Wine Spectator

Rich and dramatic, the 2019 Valandraud bursts with aromas of berry fruit, plums and licorice, framed by a lavish but far from exaggerated application of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, fleshy and sensual, it's broad and enveloping, its lavish core of fruit framed by ripe, polished tannins and succulent balancing acids.

95 points - James Suckling "The nose is redolent with ripe plums and dark cherries, as well as abundant red and purple flowers and a faint, blonde-tobacco edge. The palate delivers an ultra-rich and flavorful palate with polished, sinewy tannins that will carry this wine for some time to come. Freshness and balance, finishing taut and youthful. Full of promise, this is one of the finest recent releases from here. Try from 2023. "

The Château Haut-Simard 2014 is a well-structured Saint-Émilion Grand Cru known for its elegant balance of ripe dark fruits (black cherry, plum, blackberry) with notes of spice (cinnamon, cloves), earth, and subtle oak, offering a smooth, medium-bodied palate with supple tannins and a fresh finish, reflecting classic Right Bank Bordeaux character. Primarily Merlot with some Cabernet Franc, it's considered an attractive, harmonious wine that's enjoyable now but has mid-term aging potential.

This Chateau in St. Emilion was purchased in 2011 by Clarence Dillon, and renamed to Chateau Quintus. The 'V' as used in Quintus is the Roman numeral 5 that characterises the slopes and plots of the vines facing four cardinal points and bowing before the sky, yet also depicting the 5th winery owned within the Domaine Clarence Dillon family. The dragon statue with a 6-metre wingspan that sits atop the promontory, has become a symbol for the estate and is depicted on all the bottles of Chateau Quintus. The 2015 was warm and sunny and with this ideal weather, has become one of the greatest vintages of the Right Bank. A red wine blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, the nose has a rich, complex bouquet of blackberries, currants and spicy plums with a touch of graphite. Perfectly balanced with plush tannins, stony minerality and a long finish. Ready to drink, but can be aged for another 10-15 years.

Chateau Quintus (St. Emilion) - With a good dollop of Cabernet Franc in the blend it gives it a dense, perfumed structured character. There is beautiful rich blackberry, violet, cassis, new leather and toasted spices on the nose and palate. The Chateau has made a considerable stride with this vintage. Drink now through 2026

93-95 Barrel sample. The estate is American owned by the Adams family. The wine has concentration that will bring out dark fruits and structure, but it also has great freshness among all the richness.

Nose: Intense aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, and ripe plums, with hints of cedar, tobacco, and vanilla.

Taste: Rich and full-bodied, with flavors of dark fruits, such as blackberries and black cherries, complemented by notes of spices, licorice, and dark chocolate.

Palate: Well-structured with velvety tannins, offering a smooth and elegant mouthfeel. The finish is long and lingering, leaving a pleasant aftertaste of ripe fruits and subtle oak.

The Decoster family, formerly producers of porcelain in Limoges, have given this estate considerable luster. This latest release shows a solid character, powered by dark tannins, hints of licorice and rich fruit. Cabernet Franc aromas shine through the jammy Merlot. Drink from 2025. Roger Voss

Medium to deep ruby red colour. Aromas are meaty with red fruits. The palate is firm & again quite meaty. Alcohol is warm & the acid quite soft, fruit on the finish is a little flat & rounded.

This wine has a tightly-knit tannic texture and a beautiful, long,aromatic aftertaste. It is fruity, spicy and oaky (the oakiness is normal at this early stage).2012 Quintus starts out quite smooth on the palate, going on to showripe fruit and a freshness that might be referred to as mineral which is very typical of the terroir.

Deep, dark, ruby red color. Open, dark fruit aromas with vivid blackcurrant &well integrated oak. The fruit on the palate is fresh, rounded red-fruit. with tobacco leaf notes. Mid-weighty with fine, supple tannins that give good grip on the finish. Alcohol & acids were were balanced an the finish is long.

Embodying an iconic legacy, Chateau Bellevue 2020 offers silky tannins interwoven with flavors of blackberry, tobacco, and graphite —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2027-2050

94 Points - Jane Anson
"Excellent quality from the off, this is gripping and fragrant, again slimmer than in recent years but again capturing and harnessing the potential finesse of the vintage, peony, iris, cassis bud, crushed rose petals. The fruit a little less evident that the flowers, this is more about texture and minerality. Winery at La Clotte now totally finished, vineyard is almost 50% replanted, just under 3ha in production, with another three years before the whole project with reception facilties are totally ready to go. 100% new oak. Harvest 1 to 5 October. Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. "

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon (62%), Merlot (28%), Cabernet Franc (8%), Carménère (1%), Petit Verdot (1%)
Drinking Window: 2035 - 2055

95 Points - Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com
“Captures the muscular leanness of the vintage, coupled with great intensity and depth, waves of cloves, red liquorice, dark autumnal fruits, huge sapidity, coffee bean and cappuccino, clear richness with creamy weight through the mid palate. 3.78 pH. Harvest September 3 to 19. 55% new oak for ageing. Estate signature. 3.78ph.”

Blend: Merlot (73%), Cabernet Franc (27%)
Drinking Window: 2030-2045

97-98 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
“A beautiful expression of fruit with focus and great definition. A tight balance between the chalky tannins, linear acidity and fruit. 73.2% merlot and 26.8% cabernet franc.”

Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2027-2050

94 Points - Jane Anson
"Excellent quality from the off, this is gripping and fragrant, again slimmer than in recent years but again capturing and harnessing the potential finesse of the vintage, peony, iris, cassis bud, crushed rose petals. The fruit a little less evident that the flowers, this is more about texture and minerality. Winery at La Clotte now totally finished, vineyard is almost 50% replanted, just under 3ha in production, with another three years before the whole project with reception facilties are totally ready to go. 100% new oak. Harvest 1 to 5 October. Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. "

Deep ruby core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Delicate herbal aromas are supported by dark berries, some sea buckthorn and hints of orange zest. Very juicy concentrated palate with sweet strawberries, finely woven tannins and a fresh mineral finish with nutty hints.

Nose: Aromas of blackberries, cherries, and plums with hints of cedar and tobacco.

Taste: Rich and velvety, with flavors of dark fruits, vanilla, and spices.

Palate: Well-structured with smooth tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, lingering finish.

The colour is a quite deep garnet-red. The first impression on the nose is of ripeness, but not to excess. Fresh fruity aromas predominate. The attack is smooth, silky, and caressing on the palate. The middle palate is fullbodied and tight-knit, going into a long aftertaste. The fruity flavours are accompanied by discreet, elegant oak. The 2016 is fresh, fruity, remarkably well-focused and well-structured.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, faint ochre brightening on the rim. Delicate wild blackberries, nuances of cherries, candied orange zest, rather shy bouquet. Medium complexity, sweet red cherries, ripe, integrated tannins, some cocoa on the finish, already developed and drinkable.

Deep, dark ruby-red color. There is ripe, dark-fruit on the nose & palate, but it is overlaid by sulphidic, reduced notes that are very unpleasant - two bottles were tasted & the same was true of both.

Forward, medium bodied, bright, almost tangy -- red fruits. For complexity you find thyme, earth and coffee bean nuances. You should drink this in its youth. 87 Points

Fresh, forward, medium bodied, easy drinking, red cherry dominated fruit with earth and thyme accents.

Deeply colored, this powerful, dense, rich and intense wine combines concentration and mouth-coating levels of fruit and acidity with ripe, dark red fruits and citrus in the endnote. The wine was made from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, reaching 15.5% with a pH of 3.3. aging in 60% new French oak barrels