Château La Cardonne: 2016 vs. 2018
This wine caught me by surprise. I first came across it when it was brought from The French Wine Merchant, and it was AMAZING! Everything about it is great. You’re so lucky if you get your hands on one of these.
Tasting the 2016 Vintage
The 2016 Château La Cardonne is a gem. Well-balanced with a great amount of tannins, it has a lot of character yet still allows you to fully enjoy it. The wine is rich, round, and fresh, with a lovely black fruit profile. The color is a stunning blend of deep garnet with purple hues, and the long finish leaves your palate wanting more. As soon as we opened the bottle and poured it in one of our favourite wide red glasses, the spicy and fruity aromas jumped from the glass and filled the room beautifully.
Problem – Resolution
This wine definitely had someone talking non-stop about it. My concern —it was the last bottle at the shop! I know we wanted to répéter this bottle so bad, but also knew that this particular shop you better get the wine right there and then because usually that is it. Since I know Maurice (shop owner) has great connections in the wine business and is closed to small growers in France, I took a leap of faith and contacted him.
He let us know he could get us the 2018 to try next. Now, I had heard some urban legends about the 2018 Bordeaux vintage being a hit or miss. For me, it had been more of a miss before, but I hadn’t tried much from the Left Bank. Still, I was curious enough to give the 2018 a try for myself.
Tasting the 2018 Vintage
We got the wine in record time from The French Wine Merchant, but we didn’t open it right away. We waited a whole week (trust me, that’s a big deal!).
I will say, the 2018 vintage was intense and great, though I felt it was missing some of the magic the 2016 had. The 2016 was more rounded and balanced, offering a complete journey with each sip. The 2018 didn’t fall flat—it was still very enjoyable— it had the same black fruit and great spices but felt a bit different. I even decanted and aerated it in case it would help me get out of my head on this. To me, it didn’t quite reach the organized complexity of the 2016. That said, it was close, and I locked away the next bottle for two years, just in case!
Tasting Notes
95%
Verdict (BOTH) VALUE WINE Rating the 2016 and 2018 Château La Cardonne together highlights the nuances between these two vintages. Both had rich dark fruit flavors and chewy tannins, with their fruits seeming perfectly ripened. The 2016 is a standout with its well-rounded balance, rich character, complex profile, and a better finish in oakiness, making it a truly enjoyable experience. The 2018, while still very good, didn’t quite match the depth of the 2016, despite being a strong performer on its own. Both vintages offer their own merits, but the 2016 edges out slightly in terms of overall satisfaction.
