Chateau Figeac

Fine wines that stand the test of time are a direct result of the grapes and the producers. Chateau Figeac is the example of premier wines with a long and respected history. The vineyards are located in the prestigious Saint-Emillion region of Bordeaux. The wine estate is of the same name Chateau Figeac. Not to be confused with a few other wines with Figeac in their name. The tasteful and well-appointed label was designed in 1907 with a hint of understatement considering the content it represents.

Producer's biography

A long and remarkable history follows Chateau-Figeac dating back to the second century AD. The present estate was originally purchased by the Figeacus family. However, it would see several owners through the late 1800s before the Manoncourt family acquired it. At this juncture, its most well-known gravels plots were all that remained. The new family officially established the wine estate as Figeac.

The first in a long line of family members Henri de Chevremont employed the services of the renowned Albert Macquin to develop the infrastructure as we know it today. This includes wine vats made from estate wood. Thierry Manoncourt is the great grandson who has continued with modernizing the wine making process after receiving his degree as an agricultural engineer. In addition, he chose to cultivate the terroir of Figeac in three categories. The success of his leadership was realized in 1955 when Chateau-Figeac produced its First Great Classified Growth.

Producer's typical grape blend

Thierry Manoncourt decided to produce grapes with 35 percent each of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon. Merlot would make-up the remaining 30 percent of the crop. The soil type is gravel on 99 acres, which has been managed from the 1950s with an eco-friendly approach. With vines totaling 240,000, it is the largest vineyard in Bordeaux’s Saint-Emillion region. The official classification for Chateau-Figeac wine is designated as Premier Grand Cru Classe (Class B).

Best vintage wines for the producer

Chateau-Figeac has notable vintages dating back to 1943 with the latest in 2010. The 1964 vintage has been acclaimed as the best. There are still first year 2001 bottles available for consumption. The 1950s and 1980s each saw four years of stand-out harvests.

Best individual wines from the Producer

Chateau-Figeac Grand Vin is produced annually as well as the Petit Figeac considered the second wine. The latter was cultivated in 1943 under the name La Grange Neuve de Figeac. The aroma has been described as resembling similar complexities of the first wine Chateau-Figeac. It is also the only second wine from this producer.