The product image is for illustrative purposes only and may not exactly reflect the actual characteristics of the wine.
The wine
- Colour
- Rosso
- Alcohol
- 14.0% vol
Critics' scores
- Robert Parker / Wine Advocate 100
The 2020 Figeac is the finest wine that has been bottled to date at this estate since its renaissance began a decade ago. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with cigar wrapper, pencil shavings, licorice and black truffles, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a suave, harmonious profile, vibrant acids, and beautifully refined structuring tannins. This sapid, complex wine represents the essence of this great terroir. Two years after extensive soil studies of the estate were carried out, and the first growing season to see cover crops used in the vineyards year-round, the 2020 benefited from more coherently demarcated parcels and more precise élevage, which taken together help to account for its edge over the excellent 2019.
- James Suckling 97-98
This is a really sophisticated young wine with tobacco, crushed stone, currants and dark chocolate on the nose, following through to a medium to full body with intense yet linear tannins and a spicy, fresh finish. Some cloves and black pepper. Graphite at the end. Very long. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon.
- Vinous 96-98
The 2020 Figeac was picked from September 4 to October 1 and underwent vinification free of SO2. Deep purple in color, it is initially backward and sultry on the nose, necessitating 60 minutes before it really opens. It then reveals intense scents of cranberry, raspberry and touches of cassis intermingling with white pepper. Given that the Cabernets comprise 63% of the blend, this has a typical Left Bank personality but with Right Bank precocity. The palate conveys a sense of vibrancy and vigor on the entry, a dash of black pepper and allspice mingling with the mélange of red and black fruit. The tannins are satin-like in texture, and there’s dark berry fruit and hints of pencil lead and black truffle shavings toward the Pomerol-like finish. This is a magnificent Figeac from head winemaker Frédéric Faye and his team. This sample really came into its own 2–3 hours after opening.
The producer: Château Figeac
The great terroir of this property dates back to the ancient Gallo-Roman period, more than two-thousand years ago, when Figeacus named the property’s villa after himself. Today, Château-Figeac carries the traditional qualities of its history, beside its Premier Grand Cru Classé status. Owned by the Manoncourt family for over 120 years, Madame Manoncourt and her daughters are currently responsible for the day-to-day responsibilities alongside their highly committed team. Bordering the Pomerol appellation, the château lies west of the Saint-Émilion village with 40-hectares planted to vines. With an unusually high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc for the Right Bank, Figeac dedicates just one-third to Merlot plantings. Their savoir-faire practices accumulated over the centuries are now flawlessly intertwined with the innovations they have made in both their viticulture and vinification technologies. The resulting wines are unavoidably refined but powerful. They present an elegant balance of dark, even spicy fruit with subtly oaked notes. The Grand Vin, Figeac is pleasantly structured and long-lived.