Château Figeac 2009-2016 Collector's Case

Château Figeac is one of the jewels of the picturesque Saint-Émilion village.  It is situated next to Château Cheval Blanc.  Since 1955, it has been among the small group of highly selected members of the Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé.

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, due to its well-endowed terrior, its wine has a remarkable aging potential unlike the more accessible while young, and Merlot dominant wines from the area.  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 Cabernet Sauvignon.  The estate’s 41 hectares (101 acres) 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. In 1892, the Manoncourt family acquired the estate.  It has remained in the family since.  In 1955, during the inaugural Classification of Saint-Émilion, Château Figeac was classified as Premiere Grand Cru Classés Class B -- a high honor.

Since 1945, the estate was managed by Thierry Manoncourt until his passing in 2010.  His wife,, Madame Marie-France Manoncourt, is currently in charge of the estate.  Thierry Manoncourt was known as "the Pharaoh of Saint-Émilion."  He had 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.  He served as the former President of the Saint-Émilion Jurats and proudly championed the entire region.

After a brief period of uncertainty, Château Figeac rebounded spectacularly with a legendary vintage in 2015.  As the years progress, the wine improves in quality at a staggering rate, and it is widely speculated this Premier Grand Crus Class B estate is due for a promotion at the next reclassification of Saint-Émilion producers, currently expected to be held in 2022.  Given the price appreciation Château Pavie and Château Angelus saw after their promotion to Class A, it is no surprise there is a buzz among buyers as they snatch up Château Figeac all around the world.

Château Figeac 2009 - "The medium garnet colored 2009 Figeac features a very pretty perfume of rose hip tea, lilacs and cinnamon stick over a core of red and black currant preserves plus hints of dried herbs and sweaty saddles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers bags of savory fruit layers with plenty of floral sparks, framed by rounded tannins, finishing on a earthy note." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (3/14/2019), Rating: 94, Drink: 2020-2040

Château Figeac 2010 - "Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Figeac bursts from the glass with gregarious scents of baked blueberries, black cherry compote and chocolate box with hints of camphor, pencil lead and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has beautifully ripe, velvety tannins and bold freshness supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and layered." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (3/5/2020), Rating: 97, Drink: 2020-2047

Château Figeac 2015 - "The 2015 Figeac is a blend of 29% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon that was picked from 21 September with the Merlot until 15 October with the Cabernet Sauvignon at 41 hectoliters per hectare. The Cabernet comes through strongly on the nose - classic Figeac in many ways - black fruit, a touch of cassis, pencil and a touch of rose petal. The palate is drop-dead gorgeous, its foundation a lattice of filigree tannin and perfectly judged acidity. It is very fresh from its vivacious start to its pencil-lead finish imbued with effortless grace. It is almost comical that naysayers decried that Michel Rolland would turn Figeac into some kind of fruit bomb. Head winemaker Frédéric Faye has overseen a tip-top classic Figeac without any of the greenness that occasionally affected older vintages, now boasting a level of precision up there with the very best in the Right Bank. It was difficult to find fault with this quite astonishing Saint Emilion and who knows what could transpire once it is in bottle." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Rating: 97-99, Drink: 2022-2055

Château Figeac 2016 - "The 2016 Figeac was bottled at the end of July 2018, since Frédéric Faye wanted to give the wine more time in barrel to develop more harmony. The stunning 24-carat bouquet rivets you to the spot with brilliant delineation and mineral-rich red fruit that articulates its terroir as well as any Right Bank you will find. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannin, perfect acidity, wonderfully integrated new oak and enormous depth toward the fresh, pencil-box- and cedar-infused finish. This is a classic Figeac, up there with the 1947 and 1949, both recently re-tasted and testifying to a wine that genuinely belongs among the elite Saint-Émilions. Faye believes it is the best Figeac he has ever made. He is correct." - Neal Martin, vinous.com, (January, 2019), Rating: 100, Drink: 2023-2060

"The 2016 Figeac is a blend of 36% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked from 23 September until 20 October at 49 hectoliters per hectare with 13.9% alcohol. The acidity is 3.67 pH, and it matured in 100% new oak (focused on five cooperages). This is a property that opened a new chapter in 2013, when Michel Rolland's services as a master blender have been called upon and engendered far greater harmony between the three grape varieties, now all singing from the same hymn sheet. It has a crisp blackberry nose, a little closed at first, opening nicely in the glass and offering raspberry coulis, pencil box and subtle mint aromas—classic Figeac in many ways. The palate is extraordinarily well balanced with a fine lattice of tannin sculpted to perfection. There is a slight edginess to this Figeac that I adore, the Cabernets very expressive, more so than the 2015, with graphite infusing every pore of the black fruit. This Figeac has an outstanding structure and a saline finish that beckons you back for another sip. The 2015 Figeac was stunning and the 2016 no less. Tasted on four separate occasions, and in the end, only one (banded) score became inevitable." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/28/2017, Issue 230), Rating: 98-100, Drink: 2026-2060