Figeac 2015

A hold onto your hat wine, the 2015 Château Figeac is pure perfection and one of the wines of this terrific vintage. A blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple color is followed by a huge nose of crème de cassis, black raspberries, smoked earth, and graphite. This is followed by a full-bodied, opulent and incredibly concentrated Saint-Emilion that has everything in the right places, no hard edges, thrilling purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. This is one of those rare gems that carries huge intensity and richness, yet still glides across the palate with no sense of weight or heaviness. Winemaker Frédéric Faye thinks the 2016 is even better but that certainly isn’t stopping me from giving this crazy good wine a triple digit score. Everyone owes it to themselves to try and taste this wine at least once! 2023 - 2063

Sweet ripe berry fruits on the nose, depth of flavour, precision and clarity that last from the first to the last moment of this wine. Clear cocoa bean, espresso, chocolate, but also concentrated bilberry, blackberry and raspberry. The tannins are slate-strewn, textured, adding persistency and mouthwatering salinity to the palate. This is a brilliant Figeac, and ones that lovers of this wine should absolutely not miss. Harvest September 21 to October 15, 100% new oak for ageing.

The 2015 Figeac is a step up from the 2014 with exquisite scents of red berry fruit, incense, rose petal and crush stone. Pixelated with wonderful precision. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, wonderful backbone allied with a sense of symmetry. It is more saline than previous vintages, with saliva flowing after the wine has exited. One of the standouts from the Right Bank in this vintage. Tasted at the château.

Fabulous aromas of blackberries, black licorice and lavender. Rose petals, too. Full-bodied, deep and powerful with a sexy tannin texture of plush velvet. Long and caressing. Muscular and poised. Needs until 2022 to come together but a modern and focused Figeac.

A blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 28% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Figeac is deep garnet-purple colored. It sashays out with gregarious notes of plum preserves, blackcurrant cordial, and Indian spices, followed by hints of redcurrants, camphor, and dark chocolate with a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich and seductive with superbly ripe, fine-grained tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing long and perfumed. Irresistible to drink right now (with a good decant), it will easily give another 25-years+ of pleasure.

Tasted blind. Rather overblown on the nose. Thick and a little sturdy with lots of chewy tannin. Very youthful, very ambitious.
Drink 2026-2044

One of the great names and terroirs of Saint Emilion whose wines exude class and sophistication rather than raw power. There has been some serious improvements here recently under winemaker Frédéric Faye. Michel Rolland has been brought in to consult - but not to change the unique Figeac style. Modern techniques such as vibrating sorting tables, de-stemming and an optical laser sorting line are being used, as well as 100% new oak barrels from 7 different coopers. As a consequence, the wines produced now seem a little riper and more polished than before but are still fine, pure and classic. Unusually for the right bank there is only 30% Merlot in the vineyard with 35% Cabernet Franc and - rare on the right bank - 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Valmy Nicolas from La Conseillante has been brought in to sort out the commercial side. With pricing modest in recent vintages and quality on the rise, this is one to watch. 35% of production in 2015 was relegated to the second label - Petit Figeac. The grand vin is made from 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc. A deep purple colour in the glass. The nose is intense and brooding with ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruit and subtle hints of incense, truffle and graphite which are very enticing. The palate is complex and alluring, with pure, intense black fruit on an initially silky and polished mouthfeel which builds momentum with layers of allspice, tobacco and sage framed by firm but ripe tannins. This wine has superb texture and intensity of fruit, yet retains a fleet-footed floral finish with superb precision, focus and length. This is another impressive Figeac that builds on their strong run of quality in recent vintages.

The nose has fragrant spicy charm the palate an intensity of flavour. Rich and ripe in the middle sweet fruit silky the fruit is supported by fine tannins. Lighter at the back a mix of red and black fruits tobacco and spice the finish is long streamlined precise. 2024-40

This has the second highest ever percentage of Cabernet Franc, as well as its customary backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon, giving the wine a freshness, perfume and structure that some St. Emilions lack in 2015. Plush, concentrated and built to age, with very fine tannins, classy oak and impressive length. Drink: 2022-40