2017 Cardinale

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 95.8 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Francois Le Mouel's profile
  • Report Issue

  5/23/2022 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 98 Points

  Decanted for 5 hours...and the end result was fantastic. The second I put my nose in the glass, I knew it would be a memorable experience. Served at 16C, it was close to perfection. Extremely fragrant and very complex on the nose with explosions of cassis, blueberries, incense, cedar, aromatic herbs and dark chocolate...it was just fantastic. The palate is almost as impressive with a deep, layered, structured, but velvety mouthfeel. Even though this is a BIG wine, the acidity and the fruit perfectly balance the beast. The finish is also quite impressive...its so looong. First experience with Cardinale, but hopefully not my last one. Enjoy now or cellar for another 10-15 years.

  2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View tomoem's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/4/2021 - tomoem Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Consumed at a Spire Collection tasting.
  
  Higher end tasting of wines with this being the capstone. And capstone it was !!! Large round and filled with lush fruit. Opened for maybe 1-2 hours, ...... the wine is aromatic, viscous in mouth, and fruit forward. Yet it is elegant and more liike a left bank wine.
  
  Bravo to Chris Carpenter as this wine represents the best of an otherwise challenged 17' due to the fires . This wine is big, very new world and worth having.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View msuwine's profile
  • Report Issue

  2/19/2021 - msuwine wrote: 95 Points

  This plush and layered 2017 drinks like it’s from another vintage - something I mean as a genuine compliment. Dark red in color and medium in body, the wine offers aromas of blueberry, cardamon, trail dust, and fresh rosemary. Flavors of elderberry, black cherry, graphite, and mocha, with a silky and full finish (a rare combination in the 2017 vintage, at least in the early going). Blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. 14.5% alcohol. Decant at least an hour, if not two.
  
  This shows the roundness of 37% valley fruit (30% Stag's Leap, 7% St. Helena) - the highest proportion since I think 2006 - with the remainder coming from the mountains (32.5% Diamond, 16% Veeder, 9.5% Spring, and 5% Howell). I drank this on the same night as a 2014 Memento Crane, and the Cardinale didn't give an inch. This is less acidic and tannic than past vintages, but it's just as full, elegant, and delicious. In short: rough vintage, terrific wine - and much respect to Chris Carpenter. 94-95 for now, with upside in 2023 and later.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View isaacjamesbaker's profile
  • Report Issue

  12/7/2020 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 96 Points

  Mixed samples for the holidays: Deep purple color. The nose shows waves of fresh, deep, tangy black currants and cherries, tossed with warm clay, tobacco, potting soil, roasted chestnut, oregano and hot chocolate – it’s a fascinating, diverse, shifting display of aromas. On the palate, this is full but fresh, structured but smooth tannins, and the acidity keeps it fresh and balanced. Plums, cherries, currants, deep but vibrant fruit laced with tobacco, mint, anise, cigar box, tobacco and coffee. Underlying graphite and mineral tones add this integrated, profound feel. This will do excellent things over the next five to 10 years.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View vespasian's profile
  • Report Issue

  9/10/2020 - vespasian wrote:

  Almost mute on the nose. A touch of green but pretty much closed for business; big chunky frame here. Fruit is quite hidden. Very oaky and tannic finish. A bit hollow in the middle on this showing. Not in a happy place right now

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 7 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.