Château Figeac 1er Grand Cru Classé A ----

The property's history is linked to another Premier Grand Cru Classé: in the 1830s, a choice 30-hectare plot from Figeac's vineyard was sold and 20 years later became the illustrious Cheval Blanc. Of all Saint Emilion's wines, Château Figeac is considered to be the one most in the Médoc style. The reason is that, unlike most of the appellation's other Premier Grand Crus Classés, which are situated on clay-limestone soil, Château Figeac benefits from gravelly soil, with flint and quartz and a blue clay subsoil in places, across 54 hectares of plots. This geological configuration, so unusual for Saint Emilion, gives Figeac an exceptional elegance. Another distinction is that while the appellation as a whole is planted mainly with Merlot, Figeac’s plantings give pride of place to Cabernet (30% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon) with Merlot making up 35%. However, these particularities are not the only reason for the property's success; man has without doubt played a role: from 1943, Thierry Manoncourt, an agricultural engineer (who died in 2010), managed the property in a masterful fashion. Having chosen a scientific approach to viticulture, he introduced the stainless steel vat, along with numerous other technical procedures that were later followed by his peers. From the 1990s, Thierry Manoncourt left the operational management of the property to his daughter Laure and son-in-law Eric d'Aramon, but maintained a strong presence until his death in 2010. On 24 hectares, the vineyard soils are worked by horse. The grapes, brought to the winery under a protective layer of dry ice, are sorted with great precision (optical sorting), and no sulphur is added when the harvest arrives. A cold pre-fermentation at 8°C and an inoculation of non-Saccharomyces yeasts take hold of the must before alcoholic fermentation begins. The grand vin is aged in new barrels for 15 to 20 months. No fining has been carried out since 2021. Since 2012, Château Figeac has started a new chapter. Jean-Valmy Nicolas is co-manager. Frédéric Faye, working for Figeac since 2002, became director of the château in 2013 and is supported by technical director Romain Jean-Pierre, vineyard manager Christophe Lafon, and cellar master Jean Albino. Château Figeac has been classified Premier Grand Cru Classé A since 2022.

The wine is aged entirely in new oak casks, and is a masterful blend of three noble Bordeaux region grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon contributes structure and a distinct mineral backbone, Cabernet Franc lends its hallmark finesse, while Merlot brings charm and fullness. Tannic and yet seductive even in its first youth, Figeac’s wine then evolves a refined, silky, concentrated, rich character, with subtle aromas of cedar, black fruit and mint. A graphite note adds both depth and energy, lending further refinement. Certain venerable older vintages are still remarkably youthful today: 1911, 1924, 1949, 1953, 1964, 1975… This is a wine of true stature, best appreciated after several years of ageing and ideally paired with dishes of equal nobility.