Château Figeac 1989 - AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

The Producer

Château Figeac is one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, with origins dating back to the Gallo-Roman period in the 2nd century, when the Figeacus family gave their name to a villa located on this land. Over the centuries, the estate has gone through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, before taking its current form in the 16th and 18th centuries. Since 1892, it has been owned by the Manoncourt family, which has profoundly shaped its identity, particularly under the leadership of Thierry Manoncourt, the craftsman of the “Figeac style.” Classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé since 1955, the estate achieved the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé A in 2022, solidifying its status among the greatest wines of Saint-Émilion.

Located to the west of the appellation, at the gates of Pomerol, Château Figeac stands out for its unique terroir in Saint-Émilion, dominated by three hills of deep gravel resting on blue clays. This geological uniqueness, rare on the right bank, brings its profile closer to that of the great wines of the Médoc. The vineyard, a single block of about 40 hectares, rests on a true patchwork of soils and microclimates, favoring a complex and precise expression of the grape varieties. The grape composition, atypical for Saint-Émilion, gives pride of place to the Cabernets (Franc and Sauvignon), which largely dominate the Merlot and provide the wine with freshness, structure, and longevity.

Today, Château Figeac embodies the balance between tradition and innovation. The estate recently invested in an ultra-modern winery, inaugurated in 2021, allowing for highly precise parcel-by-parcel vinification. True to an environmentally respectful approach, the property preserves a large part of biodiversity and maintains a rare ecosystem at the heart of the appellation. The wines of Figeac, renowned for their elegance, freshness, and exceptional aging potential, are now established as one of the most unique and sought-after expressions of Saint-Émilion.

The Wine

Château-Figeac owes its unique character to the unique combination of three hills of Günzian gravel with clay subsoils, several microclimates, and a grape composition made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. This original blend, dominated by two-thirds Cabernets, gives the wine both structure, finesse, freshness, and smoothness. Since the beginning of this century, the wine from Château-Figeac has been able to be approachable from its early years with a softer mouthfeel while maintaining its incomparable verticality over the years.

Its longevity over several decades is exceptional, with an inimitable and complex bouquet that reveals itself over time.

Tasting

Château-Figeac has always been recognized as one of the great Bordeaux wines that evolves best over time, gaining a savory and indulgent complexity over the years. It can be enjoyed both in its early years and after several decades.

One first appreciates the deep, purplish hue in imperial tones. The nose presents a crazy charm and Merlot character in its youth, which gives way to a striking depth that will satisfy all Cabernet lovers.

Its aromas convey the lightness of its soils, resulting in a very subtle airy olfaction: peony, infused fruits, and graphite show a beautiful vitality. The two-thirds of Cabernet literally sculpt the material, reinforcing the structure from the mid-palate, developing a long, tense, vibrant backbone, with very pure mineral notes on the finish. The silky and fleshy tannin touch perfectly dresses the whole, in a very haute couture style... Over the years, the wine takes on flavors of tobacco leaf, with some nuances of black truffle while maintaining an incomparable fruit freshness. We then touch perfection.