A closer look at Saint-Emilion Wines

Saint-Emilion red wines are among the most prestigious and sought after wines in the world. This wine region is located on the right bank (the right side of the Gironde estuary) of Bordeaux where it shares the limelight with the much smaller neighboring Pomerol wine region. Saint-Emilion wines are predominantly red, although some wineries make amazing white wines, but labeled generically simply as Bordeaux Blanc. The Saint-Emilion reds are made from majority merlot and cabernet franc, with the lesser known of the two varietals, the cabernet franc, getting more and more attention as of late. Cabernet sauvignon, the star varietal of the “left bank” wines has a minor to even zero presence in the SaintEmilion red wine blend. Some of the most expensive wines ever made are also from Saint-Emilion, led by the undisputed top drop of the region, Chateau Cheval Blanc.

Most wine lovers are familiar with Medoc or generally the left bank wines due to the popularity and prestige of wine regions like Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estephe and Saint-Julien. Another equally well-known “left bank” wine region is Pessac-Leognan. Much of the credit perhaps comes from the still undisputed 1855 Medoc Bordeaux Classification, which very much stood the test of time. This Medoc classification catapulted Chateau Lafite, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut- Brion ( technically under the Pessac- Leognan region, double classified too as it made the Graves Classification in 1959), and the last entrant in 1973, Chateau MoutonRothschild, to the elite “cream of the crop” 1st Growth status. Saint- Emilion wines, on the other hand, only got its first classification a full century after, when in 1955, a formal Medoc- like classification was created in an attempt to formalize the ranking based on hierarchy of quality as established by the 1855 Medoc classification.

CONFUSING GRAND CRU LABELS

Grand Cru means “great growth” and having these two words on a wine label is a very powerful tool. It commands not only respect, quality, prestige but also a higher price and better chance of commercial success. Being in this business, especially following French wines, I have learned to accept in most part how credible and reliable the Grand Cru classification systems are when it comes to wines made by chateaux from Medoc, PessacLeognan (Graves), and even the whites of Sauternes-Barsac — all from Bordeaux. Unfortunately, the term Grand Cru when it refers to the Saint-Emilion classification is highly porous and confusing. First, the words “Grand Cru” can be seen on almost every Saint-Emilion wine bottle, even those of ordinary and inferior quality. Second, Grand Cru in Saint-Emilion is different from Grand Cru Classe, Premier Grand Cru Classe A, and Premier Grand Cru Classe B. And finally — and probably a positive thing — the Saint-Emilion classification changes every 10 years or so. The Premier Grand Cru Classe A is the highest in the ranking, followed by Premier Grand Cru Classe B, and then the Grand Cru Classe. Note that “Grand Cru,” without the extra word “Classe” attached is actually a very ordinary Saint-Emilion wine, with quite an easy regulation to achieve. Other French wine regions like Burgundy and Champagne use the Grand Cru term more to classify top performing historical vineyards, rather than the Chateau or Domaine that produces the wines.

HOTLY CONTESTED CLASSIFICATION

In the first Saint-Emilion Wine Classification published on June 16, 1955, the list of Saint-Emilion estates that made the original cut were 12 Premier Grand Cru Classes, composed of two Classe A wineries, namely Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone, 10 Premier Classe B, and 63 Grand Cru Classes. The classification was updated in 1969, 1986, 1996 and the controversial 2006. The 2006 classification was disputed by a handful of wineries that lost their Grand Cru Classe titles and went into massive legal battles which eventually got the classification junked in favor of extending the previous 1996 classification. The latest classification, which took effect just in 2012, was also tainted with some controversies, but is the classification that is being followed at the moment. The 2012 classification has 18 Premier Grand Cru Classes and 64 Grand Cru Classes. For the first time since the 1955 classification, two new Premier Grand Cru Classe As wines were promoted, namely Chateau Angelus and Chateau Pavie. The promotion and demotion in this ranking means so much in terms of pricing and demand of the wines involved. Prices for Chateau Valandraud, a previous Grand Cru Classe now moved to Premier Grand Classe B, have more than doubled since its promotion. And also imagine how much more expensive previous Premier Grand Cru Classe B labels, Chateau Angelus and Chateau Pavie, are now selling since their ascension to Premier Grand Cru Classe A. I used to be able to splurge a bit on a Pavie, but now I can no longer afford one. Expect some heated debates again when the next Saint-Emilion Classification comes out sometime in 2022.

CHATEAU FLEUR CARDINALE

Chateau Fleur Cardinale, bought by the Decoster family in 2001, is one of wineries that got sideswiped temporarily by the junking of the 2006 Saint-Emilion Classification. Chateau Fleur Cardinale was among the wineries promoted from plain Grand Cru status to Grand Cru Classe that year. In the latest 2012 Saint-Emilion Classification, Chateau Fleur Cardinale’s Grand Cru Classe status was reconfirmed, and surely this winery deserved the title as much, and perhaps even more, than the present list of Grand Cru Classe brands.

I was very fortunate to try multiple vintages of the Chateau Fleur Cardinale with Ludovic Decoster, family member-owner of Chateau Fleur Cardinale. Ludovic’s parents, Dominique and Florence Decoster, sold their successful Haviland porcelain business in Limoges to buy this SaintEmilion estate. With timely investments in both the vineyards and the winery, this 23.5 hectare estate is now one of SaintEmilion’s most notable Grand Cru Classe newcomers. Critics from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate to the Wine Spectator have been all praises for this up- and- coming powerhouse. The young, courteous, and very tall Ludovic Decoster brought four vintages, the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, to a small group private tasting in Manila recently. Here are my customary tasting notes: • Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2010 — made from 70% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 15% cabernet sauvignon; “powerful nose of cedar, black currant, super ripe raspberry, some complex floral and earthiness, supple and chewable tannins, long and lovely texture all the way to a lingering finish.”

• Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2011 — made from 70% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 15% cabernet sauvignon; “fresh forest nose, black berries, peppercorn, still young and racy, rich on the palate, very flavorful with nice flambé fruits and cinnamon taste, full bodied and very round finish.”

• Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2012 — made of 75% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon; “very ripe nose, black currant, vanilla, rose petals, so much nice aromatics on every swirl, on the palate more refined already, medium- bodied, tannins are sweet and with licorice- like taste, ends deliciously long and mouthwatering.”

• Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2014 — made of 70% merlot, 25% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon; the start of more cabernet franc in the blend; “luscious on the nose, still rigid and close, but undeniable fruit concentration, cigar box, figs, some limestone, very bold flavors, with so much warm on the palate, cedary, slightly spicy and heartily delectable at the end.”

I personally see some similarities between the Chateau Fleur Cardinale wines with the newly promoted Premier Grand Cru Classe B Chateau Valandraud wines in terms of flavor extraction, fruit power and its boldness. These are amazing SaintEmilion wines at prices that are still accessible at the moment. My estimate is that Chateau Fleur Cardinale will retail from around P3,500 to P6,500 for the vintages I tasted above. But note that you will see many Grand Cru Saint-Emilion wines retailing at just around P1,000/ bottle, but these wines are not Grand Cru Classe classified, so just be aware of its quality implication.