2015 Fleur Cardinale

Really enjoyed this @ $40 per bottle. Ripe for a Bordeaux and even my Cali cab pals were fans. Anyone have recs for similar bottles with more ready availability? I have tons of 2016 BDXs, but not much from 2015. Looking at the $30-60 price point. Thanks and cheers!

Barde Haut and Tour St. Christophe would be two that I think are similar.

Ed

Thanks Ed. I have 14 and 16 in the St. Christophe. Will check out the Barde Haut.

I think Clos de L’Oratoire is similar enough, and in that same price range, $45ish for 2015.

Love the '15. My Costco also had it at $35 last year and I bought the last few bottles.

Another Right Banker I like in this range and style is Quinault L’Enclos.

This is a style where Bordeaux takes Napa to the hoop for value and flavor.

Others would be Frombauge, Moulin St. George, Fonplegade, Badette, Mathilde, Couspaude.

Ask Alfert for his Top 10 Wine Crimes of All Time and you’ll have a pretty good start on your list. Rolland, Derenoncourt, and Boüard all make/consult on wines in this style, many inexpensive ones in St Emilion and Fronsac among other places

Left bank but:

Capbern
Lilian Ladouys
Siran

I just wish the three would collaborate on one wine for the greatest creation in the history of all winekind.

10,000 points, 600% new oak

As an aside, if you like this ripe style of modern Bordeaux, it really is a great value. And it’s priced around where the 2005 seemed to be a year after release.

Some others:

Barde Haut
Haut Bergey
Lascombes
Quinault l’Clos
Carmes Haut brion second label
La Vieille Cure

Of these, Vieille Cure stands out. It is a no-doubt “modern” wine, but less OTT than some of the others. For someone broad minded like me about bdx wines, this is qualitatively better than, for example, Confession or Frombauge

The few k&l bdx tastings I’ve been to in LA had a mix of tasters typically including a bunch of veteran bdx ppl and others who typically drink Napa cabs. The one that everyone liked was the capbern.

Couldn’t agree more, down to the basketball anology. I have a case of the fonplegade and previously enjoyed the frombauge. Taking a look at the others now. Thanks!

John champagne.gif

La Vielle Cure is my wife’s favorite. Really cool label as well.

I totally agree. Better balance, better value by far. The style does not appeal to me, but I think the value walks all over Napa at this point, and that’s the best comparison.

Vieille Cure us a great recommendation, although not quite as much ripeness or oak as the Fleur Cardinale if my memory is correct.

I think you’re right on that Cardinale has more oak.

I’m a Northern California guy and started with big Napa wines, so not a surprise that I gravitate toward the more ripe Bordeaux wines. Although I find myself liking the more restrained, lower alc, lower oak wines more every year. It’s a fun journey.