| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
One of the great names and terroirs of Saint Emilion whose wines exude class and sophistication rather than raw power. There have been some serious improvements here recently under winemaker Frédéric Faye. 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 5 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. A sizeable part of production is relegated to the second label - Petit Figeac. Stunning wines in recent vintages make Figeac one of the hottest properties in Bordeaux. An incredible new winery was completed here in 2021.
The 2025 Figeac is made from a typical Figeac blend of 38% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13 degrees alcohol. The yield was a small 25 hl/ha and the berries under 1 gram when they are normally 1.5 grams. Picked September 1st to 19th. Cool fermentation with gentle extraction to compensate for the high percentage of skins. Frédéric Faye said that it reminded him of the 2016 - and that it is a classic vintage.
The 2025 Figeac shows exceptional potential, unwinding in the glass with aromas of ripe cherries and minty blackberries mingled with sweet spices, pencil lead and burning embers. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, with terrific concentration, sweet tannins, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish, this integrated and balanced Figeac is a serious wine, built for the long haul. Fully 90% of production went into the grand vin this year, and it's a blend of 38% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2025 Figeac was cropped at 25 hl/ha between 1 and September, matured entirely in new oak as usual. The Cabernet components shape the aromatics at the moment, with a mixture of blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, touches of tobacco and dark powdered chocolate, all very precise and, if anything, remarkably understated considering the warmth of that summer. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, slightly granular tannins. Darker fruit than normal, nicely structured, linear and correct, this is a Figeac that veers towards the more elegant side in Saint-Émilion. Just a touch of bitterness on the finish neatly counterbalances the contained opulence. If it ends up at the top of my banded score, I would not be surprised. 13.1% alcohol. 2033 - 2060
Deep in colour with a real hit of the Cabernets from layers of cassis and graphite on the nose, together with seductive, toasty wood spice. The palate has firm tannins and a chalky profile, with deep fruit and a vertical tension making it one that will need to be laid down in the cellar. The fruit is lively, vibrant and lightly creamy, softening some of that structure - and flashes of that seductive wood do the same. A wine of purity with a sense of place and just enough winemaking to soften the edges, this will be an excellent Figeac for those with patience.
A dense yet open-grained red. It’s layered, with dusty tannins that give it a velvety texture and a medium- to full-bodied palate with plum, currant and cedar flavors. Juicy. 13% alcohol. Merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon.
Inky colour with violet reflections, swirling cooca bean and espresso, blood orange, baked plum, blueberry, blackberries, chalky tannins, palma violets, peony, iris flowers, slate-strewn tannic architecture, intense and concentrated, great stuff with clear ageing potential. Harvest September 1 to 19, 3.64 pH, 25hl/ha yield, 3.64ph. Frederic Faye director. No deleafing during the growing season, and reduced canopy height, and a cool vinifcation approach. 90% Grand Vin, 10% Petit Figeac. 2034-2050.
The 2025 Figeac is a powerful, deeply structured wine. Dark-fleshed fruit, mocha, incense, scorched earth, tobacco and grilled herbs soar across the palate in a towering Figeac of the highest level. All the elements are so well balanced. A season marked by very gradual ripening yielded an especially aromatic, perfumed Grand Vin. Yields were 25 hectoliters per hectare, harvested at a very modest 13% potential alcohol. The 2025 saw a cold maceration lasting six to eight days, with no sulfur added at crush, followed by another three weeks or so on the skins. Tasted two times. 2035-2075.
