Château Figeac 2015 -1er Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

With 35% Cabernet Franc and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, it's often said that Figeac, located on the gravelly plateau bordering Pomerol, is the most Medoc-like of all Saint-Emilions. The originality of this cru lies in its central terroir, which is composed of Günzian gravel, the same as that found in the Left Bank Grands Crus Classés. As a result, this premier cru classé evolves perfectly over time. Thierry Manoncourt, the soul of the cru for over sixty years, gave it a salutary boost. Since 2013, Thierry's widow Marie-France Manoncourt and her daughters have formed a new management board. Under the capable direction of Frédéric Faye, the estate has reached the pinnacle of the Right Bank.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

This great wine always surprises with its style and character. A sunny vintage, the 2015 brought out all the finesse of its terroir and the complexity of its grape varieties, with 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Cabernet Franc. Aged for eighteen months in new oak, the wine has a deep, brilliant color with youthful violet highlights. On the nose, fresh, black fruit notes are accompanied by the spiciness of Cabernet Sauvignon and the floral character of Cabernet Franc. A delicate woodiness with hints of chocolate and mocha completes the palette. On the palate, the juicy flesh of the Merlot gives this wine a rare fullness and velvety texture, while elegant tannins, still firm, give it length and the prospect of very long cellaring.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Recent changes at this great estate have resulted in a dramatic increase in intensity and complexity - without compromising the husky, soft and sensual voice that is Figeac - 2015 is a monumental achievement. Bravo to Frédéric Faye and his team for expressing so well what was clearly an extraordinary vintage at Château Figeac! A blend of 29% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Cabernet Franc, Figeac 2015's deep garnet-purple color reveals vibrant notes of black cherry, cassis, red currant, black plum and licorice with hints of cigar box, bouquet garni, potpourri, damp soil and black pepper. Medium-bodied, delicately crafted and with nuanced, intense layers of bright red and black fruits, the palate presents a solid framework of polished, rounded tannins and seamless freshness,

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Very dark, unmistakably solar, with great power, the wine combines voluptuous superlative texture and authoritative Cabernet length (43% Sauvignon and 28% Franc). Nevertheless, it has been considerably refined during ageing, to rediscover the architectural tension typical of Figeac, which will reassure aficionados of the château. Very long ageing potential.

About the domain :

From an atypical grape variety, with parity between Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Figeac's unique, personal style represents the quintessential elegance and refinement of the wines of the western plateau that Saint-Émilion shares with Pomerol. Figeac has a character all its own, often more austere and compact than its neighbors when young. Wines of exceptional breed, digestible and long. Figeac shines in warm vintages (as the 2005 proves) and only reveals its full potential after ten to fifteen years of cellaring. The construction of the new winery, completed for the 2020 harvest, has enabled us to delve even deeper into the details of each parcel of land, and has delighted Frédéric Faye with the extreme functionality of the facilities. Semi-buried, and close to the château with which it shares the elegance of the grand cru, this new tool, which fits majestically but without ostentation into the site, refreshes the place. The château thus confirms the extent of its "modern" classicism, its straightforwardness without artifice, and its rank: that of the rare premiers. Its history, rooted in the legend of Saint-Emilion; the park's preserved trees, creating a perfect eco-system; the power of its terroir with its unique relief and extremely qualitative clays; and the relevance of the new winery all earn the Manoncourt family's estate a fourth star.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Dominated by the two Cabernets - Sauvignon and Franc - this is a beautifully structured wine. Firm tannins and ripe blackcurrants give a fragrant, ripe, dense and impressive character. The wine has enormous potential, with great tannins and fruit. Drink from 2027.

Jancis Robinson

James Suckling

About the wine:

Fabulous aromas of blackberry, black licorice and lavender. Rose petals too. Full-bodied, deep and powerful, with a sexy tannin texture of mellow velvet. Long and caressing. Muscular and balanced. It will take until 2022 to come together, but this is already a modern, concentrated Figeac.

Jeb Dunnuck