Chateau Figeac 2020
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Vinous
-
Enthusiast
Wine - Decanter
-
Spectator
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Figeac: a name that shines brightly and echoes among lovers of fine Saint-Emilion wines all over the world. Two syllables which tell the story of one of the brightest stars in the wine firmament. As it slides into the glass, Figeac murmurs like the most outstanding voice of its appellation, with exactly the right tessitura if you know how to pitch it, and a touch of graphite to give it an edge; the energy infused with elegance becomes persistent, reflecting Figeac's desire to be enjoyed again and again. The true dimension of the wine appears with time, as notes of subtly spiced cedarwood offer the absolute quintessence of what a great wine is all about.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit (al dente) with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Incredibly transparent young red. Breathtaking. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The Grand Vin 2020 Chateau Figeac checks in as 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 18 months in new barrels. They also utilize plenty of press wine, and the 2020 has 8% in the blend. Straight-up awesome aromatics of creme de cassis, ripe black cherries, iron, spring flowers, and an almost bloody, salty character emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and absolutely perfectly integrated oak. It's still tight and reserved, which is certainly the vintage, so do your best to hide these in the cellar. It should hit the early stages of its prime drinking window in 8-10 years and will have 30+ of overall longevity. It will unquestionably flirt with perfection at maturity.
Rating: 98+ -
Vinous
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. –Neal Martin
Barrel Sample: -
Wine Enthusiast
Newly promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A, the very highest rung of Saint-Emilion’s hierarchy, this estate is at peak performance. This new release, rich in Cabernet Sauvignon, has an impressive structure as well as modulated, velvet tannins. It is a serious, concentrated wine, still just starting out.
-
Decanter
This delivers concentration and intensity, a ton of black fruits, definitely Cabernet dominant in terms of fruit, and its slightly serious character, with a whoosh of juice on the finish. An extremely elegant and controlled wine, with savoury bilberry and loganberry, then peony and tobacco leaf as it opens. Tannins are finely layered but there are a lot of them. Not an exuberant Figeac, but this is rarely a wine that rushes out to seduce, it takes its time and has ageing potential in spades. The gravel soils in the drought of the summer meant the grapes slowed their ripening process, although only the youngest vines suffered blockages, and that combined with the high Cabernet content of Figeac means lower alcohols than the past few years, giving a classic balance and a feeling of effortless success. 75% of the production went into the first wine. Harvest September 4 to October 1, a full five weeks. Their final yield here was around 37hl/ha, (higher than in 2019 at Figeac, which was 34hl/ha). As with on the Left Bank, the Cabernet Sauvignons were the lowest yield (30hl/ha), with tiny berries so had to be careful with the extraction. First vintage in the new cellars.
Barrel Sample: 96 -
Wine Spectator
A broad-shouldered wine that captures the vintage's heat well in a core of cassis and blackberry fruit flavors, which are dotted with lively savory, tobacco leaf and warm earth accents. Reveals a tarry, grippy edge as well as polish as this pulls deeply from its terroir, leaving an echo of warm paving stone at the very end. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2030 through 2040.
Other Vintages
2022-
Parker
Robert - Decanter
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James
- Decanter
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb
-
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Parker
Robert - Decanter
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James - Decanter
-
Spectator
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
- Decanter
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine - Decanter
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine -
Suckling
James
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine - Decanter
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Suckling
James - Decanter
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spirits
Wine & -
Guide
Connoisseurs' -
Parker
Robert
-
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert
- Decanter
Figeac is a very ancient property. In the 2nd century, the Figeacus family gave its name to the estate. Traces of their Gallo-Roman villa still exist today. In the 15th century, Figeac was one of five noble houses in Saint-Emilion and passed from the Lescours family, who at that time also owned Ausone, into the hands of the Cazes family, who transmitted it through marriage to the Carles in the 17th century. Acquired by the Manoncourt Family in 1892, it was a son of the family, Thierry Manoncourt, who realized the estate's enormous potential upon his arrival in 1943. An agricultural engineer, he was a prioneer in viticulture and oenology, implementing many new technologies and methods – many of which are still used today. Thanks to his ceaseless efforts, Château-Figeac was classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé in the first Classification of St. Emilion in 1955. After his passing in 2010, his wife, Madame Manoncourt, and two of their daughters still live on and run the estate, ably supported by highly skilled team. New technical facilities, including a large vat-room, two barrel cellars, an R&D cellar, and much more, were inaugurated in 2021. In 2022, Figeac received the "A" distinction in the Classification of Saint-Emilion, becoming one of two 1er Grand Cru Classé "A," fulfilling the life-long dream of M. Manoncourt and affirming the estate's exceptional terroir and wines.
Figeac is among the largest estates of Saint-Emilion, covering 54 hectares (133 acres) in one block, including 41 hectares (101 aceres) of vineyards as well as its preserved green spaces, including forest, prairie, waterways, and a plethora of flora and fauna. Figeac's terroir is unique within the appellation, principally composed of deep, pure gravel over blue-clay subsoil. This unusual terroir allows for a very rare planting in the vineyard: just one-third of Merlot, one-third Cabernet Sauvignon, and one-third Cabernet Franc. Its wines are renowned for their purity and freshness, with complex aromatic structure and extremely long ageing potential.