Château Fleur Cardinale

Identity

Château Fleur Cardinale is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, in Gironde. It is owned by the Decoster family, represented by Florence and Dominique Decoster, who acquired the property in 2001. Ludovic and Caroline Decoster represent the new generation leading the estate. Ludivine Chagnon serves as technical director, assisted by Lucie Escuraing since 2024. Olivier Laroumagne, team leader and tractor driver, has been with the team since 1999. Julien Cadel is a tractor driver and assistant cellar master, while Sabrina Chauveau has led the team since 2021. Christophe Prigent and Cyril Betriu are also tractor drivers.

History and philosophy

Acquired in 2001 by Florence and Dominique Decoster, Château Fleur Cardinale has undergone notable developments over the years. It achieved the rank of Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Émilion in 2006, a status confirmed in 2012 and 2022. The estate's philosophy centres on advanced agro-ecological practices and meticulous parcel-by-parcel observation. The goal is to strike a balance between the vine and its ecosystem, favouring targeted, minimal interventions and organic methods. The estate unveiled new technical facilities in 2021 and achieved organic certification in 2023.

Appellations

Château Fleur Cardinale produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé appellation for its main red wines. The estate also offers white wines under the Bordeaux appellation.

Practical information

Château Fleur Cardinale is located at 48, chemin de Champy, 33330 Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse. The estate can be contacted by telephone on 05 57 40 14 05 or by email at contact@lamaisoncardinale.com. Cellar door sales are available. Tours are offered, including a virtual reality experience to discover the harvesting and winemaking process. Further information regarding visits is available at https://fleurcardinale.com/visites/visite-virtuelle-360/. The estate also offers an on-site dining service.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Fleur Cardinale vineyard spans 27.6 hectares, including 2.4 hectares dedicated to white wine production. It comprises around 70 parcels located in Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, east of Saint-Émilion. The soils are predominantly clay-limestone over bedrock, and the general orientation of the vineyard lies on the northern slope of a limestone plateau, with south and south-east exposures. The vines are bordered by a 40-hectare forest. The average age of the vines is 35 years. The grape varieties for the red wines are Merlot (75%), Cabernet Franc (20%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%). For the white wines, the varieties include Sauvignon Blanc (40%), Sémillon (30%), and Sauvignon Gris (30%). Harvesting is carried out by hand. The estate practises environmentally conscious viticulture, with no chemical weeding and rigorous effluent management.

Flagship cuvées

The estate produces several signature cuvées. Château Fleur Cardinale Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Émilion is the flagship red wine, crafted from a blend dominated by Merlot (74%), complemented by Cabernet Franc (19%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (7%). Average annual production is approximately 105,000 bottles.

Another red cuvée, Intuition de Fleur Cardinale, is also produced under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, with an average production of 15,000 bottles.

For white wines, the estate offers Fleur Cardinale Blanc (first vintage in 2023) and Intuition de Fleur Cardinale Blanc, both under the Bordeaux appellation. These white wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc (40%), Sémillon (30%), and Sauvignon Gris (30%), with an average production of 6,000 bottles each.

From the 2023 vintage onwards, the estate redefined one of its cuvées under the name Croix Cardinale. This new cuvée is crafted from a newly acquired 4-hectare south-facing plot on limestone terroirs, planted with 40% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vinification and ageing

The technical facilities at Château Fleur Cardinale were modernised in 2021. Vinification and ageing practices are tailored to the characteristics of each parcel, aiming to express the terroir to the fullest. Jean-Luc Thunevin and Jean-Philippe Fort act as consultant oenologists. Axel Marchal serves as the consulting oenologist for the white wines.