Fleur Cardinale, Chateau
Summary
Château Fleur Cardinale is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé estate owned by the Decoster family since 2001, cultivating 23.5 hectares of predominantly Merlot (75%) vineyards across limestone-clay soils of the plateau and hillsides. Their winemaking philosophy balances modern precision with traditional Bordeaux methods, featuring plot-by-plot vinification in temperature-controlled tanks followed by 18 months aging in French oak barrels.
Heritage & Leadership
Château Fleur Cardinale, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé property, began a significant new chapter in 2001 when Florence and Dominique Decoster acquired the estate from the Asséo family. The Decosters, who previously built a successful career in the industrial equipment sector, brought fresh vision to this right bank property. Their dedication to quality was officially recognized when Fleur Cardinale achieved Grand Cru Classé status in the 2006 Saint-Émilion classification, a designation maintained in subsequent classifications. The couple works as a complementary team, with Dominique focusing on vineyard management and technical aspects while Florence oversees administration and commercial operations. Their daughter Caroline and son-in-law Baptiste Trouillet have gradually integrated into the family business, ensuring continuity for the estate's future development.
Vineyards & Wines
Château Fleur Cardinale encompasses 23.5 hectares of vineyards situated on Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau and hillsides. The vineyard composition reflects traditional right bank preferences with 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This distribution takes advantage of the estate's limestone-clay soils, which particularly benefit Merlot cultivation. The vineyards feature an average vine age of 35 years, contributing to the concentration and complexity of the wines. The estate produces approximately 80,000 bottles annually of its grand vin, Château Fleur Cardinale, along with a second wine called Croix Cardinale. The terroir's varied elevations and exposures create distinct microclimates across the property, allowing for nuanced expression of each grape variety.
Philosophy & Practice
The Decosters implement a meticulous approach to viticulture and winemaking at Fleur Cardinale. Vineyard management includes careful canopy management, green harvesting when necessary, and exclusively hand harvesting to ensure only optimal fruit enters production. In the cellar, fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with each vineyard plot vinified separately to preserve its distinctive characteristics. The estate works with consulting oenologist Jean-Philippe Fort to refine their winemaking protocols. Aging takes place in French oak barrels for approximately 18 months, with 80% new oak for the grand vin. The Decosters have invested significantly in modernizing the winemaking facilities while maintaining respect for traditional Bordeaux methods. Their approach balances technological precision with minimal intervention, allowing the Saint-Émilion terroir to express itself clearly in the finished wines.