Appellations

Figeac 2017

St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B

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Tasting Notes

The 2017 Figeac was picked from 7 September to 3 October at 22hl/ha (average across frosted and non-frosted parcels) with 13.5° alcohol. It has a deep purple hue. The bouquet is very well defined, quite strict at first with well-behaved blackberry, raspberry, pressed rose petals and just a touch of violet. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine backbone, fresh in the mouth with a sense of energy, quite precise and linear with a pinch of spice towards the finish, a little graphite lingering on the aftertaste. This is unapologetically classic in style and whilst it might be over-shadowed by the sensational 2015 and 2016 Figeac, this is an impressive follow-up to that might pair that has really put Figeac back on the map.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023-2045 Date: 01 May 2018

The 2017 Figeac is magnificent. Beautifully layered and exquisite in the glass, the 2017 possesses remarkable balance and harmony from the very first taste. An utterly beguiling, captivating wine, the 2017 simply has it all. Bright, red-toned fruit, mint, spice, lavender and rose petal overtones flesh out in the glass, but above all else, Figeac is a wine of total harmony. The Grand Vin includes 10% second generation fruit. Even so, production is down around 50%.

Score: 94 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Date: 01 May 2018

The 2017 Figeac is composed of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Very deep garnet-purple in color, the nose sings of Cabernet Sauvignon—bright crushed black currants, blackberries and wild blueberries with wafts of lilacs, pencil shavings, tobacco, tilled earth plus a hint of bay leaves. The medium-bodied mouth is fine, elegant, minerally and incredibly vivacious with tons of energy. Bright and refreshing with firm, grainy tannins and a provocative hint of chew, it finishes with great length. This should age wonderfully. 100% new oak was used for this sample and it is very well-integrated.

Score: 94 - 96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Date: 27 April 2018

Deep cherry red with lots of purple. Lifted and fragrant. Finely and intensely scented. This is very fine: pure and precise, some red fruit on the palate. Succulent, juicy, scented on the palate too. Silky, charming, mouth-watering. So succulent, so precise, unforced.

Score: 18 - 19 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2025-2040 Date: 25 April 2018

The 2017 Château Figeac is an undeniable success in the vintage and this estate is on an incredible roll under the guidance of winemaker Frédéric Faye. Sensational notes of crème de cassis, graphite, violets, and a hint of minerality all emerge from this elegant, medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion. Similar to the 2016, yet with the intensity turned down just slightly, it has building tannin, no hard edges, and a great finish. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. The blend is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, with the harvest stretching from September 7 to October 3. Yields were a soul-crushing 22 hectoliters per hectare, half of normal.

Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 23 April 2018

Bright and fresh, offering lovely cassis and black cherry notes sitting atop a sleek iron spine. Floral and savory details run throughout. Shows a refined structure. Sneakily long, with persistent fruit.

Score: 92 - 95 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Date: 04 April 2018

This is a dense and layered red with blackberries, blueberries and hints of hazelnuts. Full-bodied, very tight and focused. Impressive young tannins. Velvety texture. Very pretty to taste. Juicy and delicious. 43% merlot, 47% caberent sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc. Less franc than normal due to the frost.

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 03 April 2018

The aromatics here are highly appealing, the well-weighted cassis fruit with touches of woodsmoke scents reflecting the clean black fruits on the attack, delivered with a sense of precision. The fruit is a little below the exceptional quality of the last few years, but 2015 and 2016 were just such sensational wines here, and this was a far trickier vintage. The austerity needs time to soften, opening up in the glass but lacking the floral signature of the estate, perhaps due to low Cabernet Franc levels - Figeac lost 55% of the crop to frost, hitting the Cabernet Franc particularly hard, which is why this vintage has the lowest Cabernet Franc on record at the estate. They have done an excellent job of not over-extracting, and it has a gentle depth of bramble fruit, menthol and eucalyptus that unrolls with some minerality. The last plots came in on 3 October, but they often went through the same plot several times to wait for full ripeness, and only around 10% of second generation fruit made it into the final wine. 50% of overall production will make Figeac in 2017, equating to perhaps 48,000 bottles. Yield 22hl/ha. This is an excellent wine, but lacks a little of the Figeac signature that has been so brilliantly developed over the past few years.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2040 Date: 01 April 2018