Château-Figeac 2019

Initially restrained maturation spice, subtle accents of cedarwood and exotic spices; after generous aeration, notes of rose and red berries. Full attack, dense structure, great freshness despite the concentration, supported crunchy tannins; a great wine built for long ageing.

Large-scaled, capturing all the rich and flamboyant cassis, steeped plum and blackberry reduction notes that are hallmarks of the vintage, along with a broad swath of loam and warm gravel underneath as tobacco and alder accents fill in wherever possible. Muscular and toothy along the edges but rock-solid in build, with enough fruit to round into form eventually. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 9,062 cases made.

A remarkable Figeac which, with a yield of just 34 hl/ha and using 100% new oak, remains elegant and refined, with none of the alcoholic excess seen in too many 2019 St-Emilions. Cabernet Franc adds to the beguiling, cool fragrance, with concentrated, plush dark plum and leafy blackcurrant derived from the Sauvignon. Creamily textured yet sappy, vibrant and fresh on the finish, the fine-grained tannins indicate a very long life ahead.

This is a really beautiful red with crushed-berry, plum, bark, mushroom and earth character. It’s full and creamy-textured with lots of tannins, but they are integrated and polished and flow across the palate. So much depth and intensity, yet there’s underlying grace and class. Try after 2025.

The 2019 Figeac is without question one of the wines of the vintage. All the promise it showed as a young barrel sample is all there in the bottle, too. Estate Director Frédéric Faye crafted a towering, statuesque Figeac built on vertical energy and a sense of vibrancy that never lets up. Deep layers of red/purplish fruit, cedar, tobacco, mint and dried flowers are framed by a super-classic expression of structure that keeps everything in balance. There is a bit more Cabernet Franc in this year's blend, and that definitely comes through. Readers who can find the 2019 should not hesitate, as it is truly majestic.

Not quite at the level of the over-the-moon 2016, but not too far either, this sublime gem is almost opaque in color. This is so concentrated, silky, rich and decadent, it’s almost off the charts. Blackberry, espresso, black currants, licorice, flowers and wet earth with cherry blossoms crowd into the perfume. Fresh, vibrant, lively and structured to age and evolve for decades, the wine ends with waves of perfectly ripe, vibrant red and black fruits that simply do not want to quit! Drink from 2035–2060.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle watery rim. Nuances of oak, dark forest fruit, a hint of cassis and liquorice, fine tobacco nuances, spices, orange zest, still a little reserved. Complex, cherries, well-integrated tannins, mineral and lasting, elegant style with a fine fruity finish, salty on the aftertaste, delicate liquorice on the finish, immensely harmonious, absolute ageing potential; however, patience is required. Leave to mature.

The 2019 Château Figeac checks in as 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot, and it's another brilliant wine from Frédéric Faye. This deep purple-hued effort offers a beautiful Pauillac-like bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, damp earth, leafy herbs, chocolate, and smoked tobacco. It has classic Figeac herbal, earthy goodness (no doubt due to its high percentage of Cabernet) and is medium to full-bodied on the palate, has perfect tannins and flawless balance, all making for a brilliant Saint-Emilion that brings richness and power paired with finesse and elegance. Give bottles 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30+.

30% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc. Purple with a ruby rim. A noble, concentrated and at the same time precise bouquet, almost cool in character, with ripe wild strawberries and beguiling violets. On the second nose, refined cassis spice, pronounced graphite traces and blackberry jelly. From the very first sniff, my “20/20 points alarm” went off (Giuseppe Lauria). On a regal palate with a velvety texture and cocoa-like tannin frame, the perfectly supportive vigor wraps the wine like a cashmere coat; the wine feels weightless, with fascinating coolness. In the focused finish, a firework of blue berries, deep-rooted terroir spice and a royal astringency. You instinctively pause and savor the moment. The aftertaste is intense and lingers for a very long time! For Frédéric Faye, in short: “Magnificient!” 2016, with added freshness, achieves the top score. “I don’t like to compare but I would say 2016 with more freshness and better texture for the tannins (graphite minerality).”

Kunz barrel sample 2020: velvety, dense, complex, elegant, fresh bouquet, blackberry jelly, fine currants, tobacco, herbs, blueberries, cassis, pralines. Finely woven, elegant, multi-layered, powerful palate with dense, dark, sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a finely creamy, elegant structure, a finely opulent, dense, varied aromatics, very long, sweet, powerful finish with sweet aftertastes. Can still improve.

Velvety, dense, complex, elegant, fresh bouquet; blackberry jelly, fine currants, tobacco, herbs, blueberries, cassis, pralines. Tightly woven, elegant, multi-layered, powerful palate with dense, dark, sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, delicately creamy, elegant structure, finely opulent, dense, varied aromatics, very long, sweet, powerful finish with sweet afterflavors. Can improve further. 19/20 2026 - 2055

This is a gorgeous Figeac, balanced and finessed and full of promise for the future—and it’s interesting to note that its blend is almost back to the classic one‑third‑each variety of the pre‑Rolland days. I just love the clarity and the chiselled quality to the fruits—blueberries, bilberries, cassis—all smooth, concentrated, with excellent acidity yet high sweetness, and muscular tannins. Clear smoked sandalwood too, with not a hint of dryness, and it will clearly knit together with another five or six years in bottle. I can’t wait to follow this wine as it ages. Cigar smoke and grilled sandalwood on the finish—the poise and precision on display here are simply unmissable. Harvest from September 13 to October 17, 100% new oak.

The 2019 Figeac is a blend of 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little sluggish and broody to begin, soon revealing glimpses of baked plums, blackberry pie, and chargrill scents, followed by hints of aniseed, unsmoked cigars, and dusty soil. The medium- to full-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance and restraint, featuring loads of mineral-sparked black fruit layers and a velvety texture, finishing long and earthy. Don’t even think about touching this for a good 5–7 years (at least), when the experience promises to be mind-blowing.

A nose as beautiful as a Persian rug—complex, open, evocative, and sensual. Aromas of cocoa, flowers, and honey, highlighted by a very noble green note that sets this wine apart among the rich, floral 2019 Saint Émilion. On the palate, great fluidity, a soft, caressing texture—the softest imaginable hand stroking you from head to toe—on very delicate, fleshy fruit notes, followed by firm yet silky tannins, leading into a delightfully enveloping finish.

Figeac’s bouquet unfolds with precision and serenity. It doesn’t seek flashiness, only subtlety and relevance. Such olfactory plurality—listing it all would verge on prose—so let’s just say it speaks beautifully! I can’t resist mentioning nuances of graphite and redcurrant. The palate lives up to the aromatic promises. So much vigor and precision. A 2019 that is chiselled, precise, taut, and sapid. This Figeac shines through its power while arguing its case calmly and serenely. In the image of its creators, it knows what it can do and, above all, what it wants!

The nose is elegant, fresh, delicate and racy, offering lovely finesse/delicacy, power, depth, a fine grain (very discreetly tight) and harmony. It reveals notes of fleshy/fresh blackberry, cornflower and, more lightly, small ripe/juicy berries, with small touches of cubeb pepper, nutmeg and sweet spices, as well as a discreet hint of cardamom and tea. The palate is fruity and balanced, offering lovely finesse, a tangy backbone, lovely definition, roundness, elegance, a fine, silky texture, fine grain, smoothness, subtle tension, harmony and a touch of racy minerality. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackberry and juicy/pulpy blackcurrant, and more lightly violet, combined with small touches of vibrant blue fruits and fleshy/juicy raspberry, as well as subtle hints of nutmeg, chocolate, cornflower, racy minerality, very discreet hints of sweet spices, hazelnut, black tea and almond. The tannins are fine, elegant and slightly coating. A gourmet persistence with hints of chocolate and almond. Lovely length. Splendid Cabernet franc! A wine that needs time to reveal all its beauty in the glass, with lovely intensity and great finesse!

Logo on the cork: A inside a circle (Amorim) The first bottle (17) shows an unusual oak character between the mid-palate and the finish. This breaks the spell described during the En Primeur tastings. The second is more in line with what I know of the cru. Intense, refined, fruity and pure nose. Palate marked by elegant tannins, with meticulous texture and a tasty body that stretches into the finish with no hint of tannic presence and makes you want to swallow. Lovely length.