Chateau Figeac 2023
• Domaine: Château Figeac
• Appellation: Saint-Émilion
• Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé A
• Origin: Right Bank, Bordeaux, France
Château Figeac is considered one of the jewels of the picturesque Saint-Émilion village. It is situated next to Château Cheval Blanc, one of the champions of the appellation.
This unique Right Bank producer yields wines that rival some of the finest in the Médoc. Due to higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon going into the wine, a characteristic unique to Château Figeac among Right Bank producers, thanks to its well-endowed terrior, its wine has a remarkable aging potential unlike most of the wines from the area - more accessible while young, Merlot dominant. As the years progress, if well-cellared, Château Figeac continues to dazzle, impress, and grow more coveted with each passing vintage. In fact, demand is so high for offerings of Château Figeac that many buyers who are fortunate enough to come into contact with a bottle often purchase it immediately — for they never know when it will sell out.
One of the many attributes that makes this Saint-Émilion producer such a viticultural tour de force is its unique terroir. Château Figeac is located in what is known as the Graves region of Saint-Émilion. Very few producers in the Right Bank are fortunate enough to experience the luxury of this enviable terroir. The special gravel topsoil is heat absorbing, light reflecting, and excellent for drainage. Unlike the majority of Saint-Émilion’s limestone and clay heavy soils that are well suited for cultivating Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Château Figeac’s special terroir is perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate’s 40 hectares of vineyards are evenly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.
Château Figeac is one of the oldest vineyards in the Right Bank. The Romans saw the land’s great potential and cultivated vines on the estate approximately 2,000 years ago. Château Figeac received its name in the 18th Century, and the enormous 200-hectare estate continued to change hands over the ages. As ownership changed, parcels were sold off, including some to the legendary Château Cheval Blanc. Eventually the estate was procured by Thierry Manoncourt who was known as, “the Pharaoh of Saint-Émilion.” Manoncourt showed an unprecedented level of commitment to Château Figeac and was responsible for a number of innovations at the estate. He introduced temperature controlled stainless steel vats to the fermentation room and oversaw the production of Château Figeac’s second wine, Le Petit Figeac. Château Figeac was the first Right Bank producer to set the precedent of creating a Second Wine, and many other châteaux followed suit shortly thereafter. Manoncourt was considered a giant within the wine industry, and this former President of the Saint-Émilion Jurats proudly championed the entire region. Unfortunately, in 2010 he passed away and the estate has been managed by his widow, Madame Marie-France Manoncourt. After a brief period of uncertainty, Château Figeac rebounded spectacularly with a legendary vintage in 2015.
In 1955, during the first official classificationi of Saint-Émilion, Château Figeac was classified as a Premiere Grand Cru Classés Class B Estate -- a high honor. Only Château Ausone and Châteaux Cheval Blanc were catapulted into a higher tier - Premiere Grand Cru Classés Class A. Expectations have been building that at the next reranking and reclassification of Saint-Émilion, Figeac is most likely to be promoted into the top rank - Premiere Grand Cru Classés Class A. Given the price appreciation Château Pavie and Château Angelus saw after their promotion to Class A in 2012, it is no surprise speculative buyers are snatching up Château Figeac all around the world.
Tasting Notes
"Fragrant floral aromatics straight off the bat, peony and violet, and a vibrant juiciness that travels through the palate. Savoury dark fruit character, with flint and textural interest, full of Figeac finesse. 130th vintage of the Manoncourt family at Figeac, and the first vintage where they knew they were Premier Grand Cru Classé A from the start of the season, as it was announced in September 2022. 130mm of rain lower than average over the growing season here, allowing a long slow harvest from September 6 to October 5, 45hl/h yield." - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux (04/19/2024), Ratings: 98, Drink: 2032-2050
"High-toned aromatics, purple fruit, blackcurrant, wet stones and minerality on the nose, really quite scented and alive, floral, purple flowers, and ripe black fruit with freshness too. Supple and succulent, a good plushness here, not chalky or chewy but ripe and cool at the same time. Hints of dark chocolate, liquorice, blueberry and wet stone also gives the mineral accents. Silky but this wine has an amazing texture. Cool and classic, but there’s clear ripeness too. Almost thick, but refined. High acidity, great lift and zing - tannins are present and apparent, gently expanding around the mouth. It’s more serious than usual, a touch more firm with tension but equally it's structured with a long, mouthwatering finish. This will be lovely! 3.68pH." - Georgina Hindle, Decanter, (05/07/2024), Ratings: 98
"The 2023 Figeac was cropped at 45hL/ha from September 6 until October 5, one of the longest harvest periods ever. It matured in 100% new oak, as usual. My samples included the 5% vin de presse. This has a very perfumed bouquet: red fruit rather than black, iris flower rather than violet, light sous-bois and tobacco scents deriving from the Cabernets. The palate is medium-bodied, and the Cabernets really "sing" on the entry. Black fruit mixes with graphite and light tobacco notes, surging with fresh acidity and real brightness, or what the French call éclat. There’s gentle grip here—classic Figeac from start to finish, with a subtle marine influence toward the close. This will be a wonderful Saint-Émilion that ranks amongst the best wines of the vintage. Chapeau!" - Neal Martin, Vinous, (04/29/2024), Ratings: 96-98
"Director of Château Figeac since 2013, Frédéric Faye emphasizes precision and timing when he characterizes the estate's evolution over the last decade. Harvest now lasts three or four weeks, stopping and starting, so each parcel of this 41-hectare vineyard can be picked at optimal maturity; and that was the case a fortiori in 2023, with picking beginning with Merlot between September 6 and 15, stopping for 12 days, and then concluding with Cabernet between September 27 and October 5. Farming is similarly adapted parcel by parcel, with year-round cover crops and cultivation by horse to minimize soil compaction. And a brand-new winery triples the team's working space, with small tanks so that each parcel can be vinified separately. Yet the objective is to perfect Figeac, not to change it. If the estate's wines are now suppler and fuller, their classically Cabernet-rich assemblage hasn't altered. Old-fashioned approaches such as submerged-cap fermentation for fruit growing on gravel soils have been retained. And of course, the estate's distinctive and complex terroir hasn't changed. Faye handled Cabernet Sauvignon especially gently in 2023, as the berries were small and concentrated." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, (04/26/2024), Ratings: 96-98
"The 2023 Château Figeac is Merlot-dominated but includes 32% Cabernet Franc and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the élevage all in new French oak. Classic Figeac purple fruits, tobacco, leafy herbs, violets, and graphite all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full body, a remarkable sense of purity and precision, fine-grained tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Hitting 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.68, it's a beautiful wine in the vintage that shows the absolute class of this château today." - Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur, (05/08/2024), Ratings: 94-97
LWIN | 2964586 |
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Stock Status | Futures |
Appellation | Saint-Emilion |
Vintage | 2023 |
Shipping Weight | 3.000000 |