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Chateau Figeac

The origins of Chateau Figeac predate those of many famous Bordeaux properties, illustrating how much earlier these regions of the right bank were settled when compared to the left bank, which was once mere marshland. In the 2nd Century, a Gallo-Roman villa stood here, having been constructed by Figeacus, although historical documents outlawing the planting of new vineyards in the Roman Empire at the time mean it is unlikely that there was active viticulture associated with the villa. Nothing of the villa itself remains today, the site having been subject to much construction since that time, although some of the original drainage system still exists. Further archaeological investigation also reveals the prior existence of a medieval construction, which is likely to have been erected by the Lescours family, who owned the rights to the seigneurie prior to this passing to the de Cazes family in the 15th Century. This family were responsible for replacing the medieval building with a new chateau in the Renaissance style as the end of the 16th Century approached. Through marriage to Marie de Cazes, the estate then passed to the influential de Carle family in 1654. These new owners were successful businesspeople with interests in banking, shipping and wine, and they were well connected, as evinced by one of the next generation, François IV de Carle, who had the regal sounding but ultimately rather dubious title of Perpetual Mayor of St Emilion bestowed upon him by King Louis XIV in 1694. It was the de Carle family, later known as Carle-Figeac and then Carle-Trajet, that constructed the impressive three-storey chateau, retaining some features from the previous building including a tower, that stands as Chateau Figeac today.

Figeac Through the early 19th Century the vineyards were gradually carved up and portions sold off in order to meet the debts incurred by the then proprietor, the widowed Countess de Carle-Trajet. In the face of local economic decline and the effect of the Napoleonic Blockade, a trade dispute intended to destroy British commerce abroad, the Countess was still living a life of luxury. Her estate, an incredible 175 hectares at the dawn of the new century, was gradually whittled down; much of what was sold of was arable land and woodland, but there were also some prized vineyards with good, gravelly terroirs. Plots that were sold are today part of the Beauregard and La Conseillante estates, followed by a sizeable chunk which was purchased by the Ducasse family in 1832, and formed the nucleus of what would eventually by Cheval-Blanc. This was not the end of the disruption of the estate, although in 1838 the property was sold lock, stock and barrel to the Lebel family of Paris for 155 000 Francs, then in 1842 to Gabriel Leveine. It then passed to the Fournier family, and to Henri de Chevremont in 1892. By this time more had been cleaved off, two portions totalling 37 hectares of which most was vineyard sold to a M Corbière. He retained half, the beginnings of Chateau La-Tour-Figeac, and sold half onto M Marais, which is now La-Tour-du-Pin-Figeac (which has itself since been subdivided and now has two distinct owners).

Figeac The acquisition of Figeac by Henri de Chevremont and his daughter Henriette in 1892 promised to be the beginning of a much needed period of stability for the estate, but Henriette married André Villepigue, a Parisian, and the pair became absentee landlords. They installed a local, Alfred Maquin, as a manager, but in 1905 their own son, Robert Villepigue took over. But the estate eventually came to Robert's sister, Ada Elizabeth, who married Antoine Manoncourt. At last there was some continuity at Figeac, but it was not until the next Manoncourt generation, Thierry (right) took control in 1947, later joined by his wife Marie-France, that the true potential of Figeac was to be realised. Today the next generation, their daughter Laure and son-in-law, Count Eric d'Aramon, hold tenure.

To understand the locale of Figeac, it is necessary to understand the different regions of the St Emilion appellation. Of the four main regions of St Emilion, the smallest is Graves-St-Emilion, located at the extreme west of the appellation, bordering that of Pomerol. Of the premier cru estates, most are located on the famous limestone côtes around St Emilion itself, the last two in Graves-St-Emilion, a huge 1200 hectare swathe of sandy vineyards separating the two regions. The Gunzian graves de feu, the gravel after which this subregion of St Emilion is named, was borne here by the Isle and Dronne rivers and originates from the Quaternary period. It is gathered in five mounds, of which two bear the vines of Cheval-Blanc, the remaining three being entirely Figeac. These are as follows:

Les Moulins, named for the windmills it once bore. The southernmost hill of the three, it has an altitude of 36m and the gravelly soils have a depth of 7m.
La Terrasse, the next to the north, also rises to an altitude of 36m, with 6m deep gravelly soils.
L’Enfer, the northernmost, has a little more height at 38m, and a little more gravel, with a depth of 8m.

Figeac Although more gravel means better drainage, at Figeac the soil's capability is augmented with field drains. Beneath the gravelly soil there is clay and sand, but the gravel imparts, as is the case with Cheval-Blanc, a tendency to favour Cabernet over Merlot. The vineyard is planted to Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon (35% each) with the balance being Merlot, with the vines averaging about 35 years of age and sitting at a density of 6000 vines/ha. Evidence for this selection of varieties comes not from mere opinion, but from the work of Thierry Manoncourt who, for many decades, would bottle some of the Figeac wine unblended, so that he could assess how different grapes varieties, from different portions of the vineyard, progressed after suitable ageing in bottle. Come harvest time the fruit is collected manually, pressed using hydraulic equipment, and vinified in the chai which includes both the original wooden and the new, stainless steel fermenters. The oak vats are open-topped, and the cap is submerged using a grid which pushes the floating matter below the surface of the wine. The grand vin then goes into new oak for up to 20 months, whereas second year barrels are used for the second wine. At the required time the wine is fed to the bottling line in the underground cellar, excavated in 1971, by a gentle gravity feed. The grand vin is Chateau Figeac and the second wine is La Grange Neuve de Figeac.

The wines of Chateau Figeac are frequently noteworthy, not least for their striking red and yellow label designed by Robert Villepigue in the early 20th century. But it is the wine inside the bottle that matters most, of course, and fortunately here it frequently meets with expectations. My tasting experience takes in a number of recent vintages, including some highly lauded dates such as 1998 and 1995, both very good right bank vintages. The wines are generally exceptional, but pleasure is not always guaranteed. It is the 2003 that has bothered me most, initially a seemingly over-worked, over-extracted wine that I thought lacked real quality. But then on retasting in 2006 I have seen a considerable improvement, certainly meriting a much more acceptable score, and showing really a rather good composition for a 2003. Other vintages, meanwhile, are simply very tasty wines indeed. (16/1/07, updated 26/3/08)

Contact details:
Address: Chateau Figeac, 33330 St-Emilion
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 24 72 26
Fax +33 (0) 5 57 74 45 74
Internet: www.chateau-figeac.com

Chateau Figeac - Tasting Notes

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2007

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2007: There is immediately apparent fruit complexity here, with a nose that shows plenty of deeply piled fruit which has a slightly gamey, slightly savage quality. Then it transforms on the palate, displaying here a serene and creamy elegance, although beneath there lies a brooding depth and structure. This is sweet and sappy, with a lovely backbone of ripe tannins which are well covered by the fruit at present. Really, a very good wine indeed. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 16.5-17.5+/20 (April 2008)

2006

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2006: A really impressive nose here, quite explosive, full of fruit, clearly very different to some of the other wines from St Emilion tasted here. A nice style on the palate, quite composed, although a little lean on entry. A fleshy midpalate, nicely covering the ripe tannins at the core. Sweet, stony fruit and firm acidity. This is really very good. From my 2006 Bordeaux assessment. 16.5-17.5/20 (April 2007)

2005

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2005: Deep, dense, finely layered fruit on the nose, which is rather sweet and ripe at the core. The palate presents itself in a very straightforward fashion at present, but in a ripe, structured and balanced fashion. There is a firm seam of tannin with a good acid backbone, but not a complex composition. It is all nicely put together though, the tannins are well covered, and this is clearly a very primary phase. Excellent potential for the future though. From my tasting of 2005 Bordeaux at two years of age. 17.5-18+/20 (October 2007)

2004

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2004: A nice glossy hue here, not overly dense. The nose is good, showing some exotic spiced plum and berry fruit, and a good fruit complexity. A lovely texture on the palate, soft and rounded, not over-extracted, showing a very complete and harmonious composition. The tannins just poke out a little at the finish. Good acid backbone. Vibrant style. Very good indeed. 17+/20 (February 2008)

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2004: A darker, more brooding nose here. Perfumed, but with dark, slightly confit fruit. Nutty oak. Attractive presence on the palate, svelte yet reserved, velvety tannins through the midpalate, overall a firm, appealing although masculine style. Good, grippy finish. Very good indeed. From my Bordeaux 2004 assessment. 17+/20 (October 2006)

2003

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2003: I didn't rate this last time, but now I find some appeal here. The nose is exotic as are many of this vintage, but not over the top, the confit fruit blended with more characterful, meaty notes. The same exotic cherry on the palate, a very primary and simple fruit profile, with a full and creamy texture. The acidity is fair, and there are a lot of tannins swimming about here, but overall it has a much better presence on the palate than in October 2005. Very good. 16.5+/20 (November 2006)

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2003: A lifted, smoky, black fruit nose here, tinged with liquorice. Restrained style on the palate, showing a creamy edge, but becoming rather attenuated through the midpalate. Over-extracted? The grippy tannins sit uneasily with the texture of the wine. From my Bordeaux 2003 assessment. 14.5/20 (October 2005)

2001

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2001: This has quite simply a gorgeous nose, a really fine character, exotic notes of plum, charcoal and minerals. This fine character is matched by a silky composition on the palate, elegant and covering a good structure underneath. Broad and stylish, well integrated, and brimming with potential. Excellent style. 17.5+/20 (February 2008)

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 2001: Really very seductive nose here, showing some dark red fruit aromas with a deep concentration, almost svelte in character if that is possible, with a gorgeous cashew nut note. Fresh and incisive on the palate, but with a lot of presence, full and supply rounded, with a creamy style. There is a good firm tannic backbone and some attractively complex meaty character. Really great potential. 17+/20 (November 2006)

1998

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 1998: Situated on gravel close to Pomerol, hence an encépagement different to the other estates; Merlot 30%, Cabernet Franc 35%, Cabernet Sauvignon 35%. Lower yields this year, 31 hl/ha. A fairly dense colour here. A superbly full nose. Dark roasted plums, and a fabulous perfume. Some oak too. Elegance and style are plainly evident on the palate. There is not quite the plumpness and the velvet texture of the other wines - because the blend here is heavy on Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, with less Merlot, I suspect. But there is body, balanced tannin and acids, and good concentration. Black fruits and a violet perfume. And a good length. One of the best wines here. From a tasting of 1998 St Emilion. 18+/20 (May 2004)

1995

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 1995: A really nice nose here, displaying some almondy, nutty complexity. A fine impact on the palate, showing a very rounded and complete structure with a backbone of fine tannins and ample acidity. A stylishly composed wine, quite firmly held together, rounding out really well on the finish, with attractive red fruit flavours. This is excellent. 17.5/20 (November 2006)

1988

Chateau Figeac (St Emilion) 1988: A Premier Grand Cru Classé. A moderate depth of colour here. A lovely nose, with maturing Merlot fruit giving meaty, spicy, fruit cake aromas. There are notes of minerals and stones also. A beautiful palate, structured and powerful, with a fine balance of tannins, acidity and fruit. Such purity too. From a 1988 Bordeaux tasting. 18.5+/20 (March 2004)