Château Figeac

Château Figeac traces its origins to the 2nd century, when a Gallo-Roman villa was built on the site and named after its owner, Figeacus. By the late 18th century the property extended to nearly 200 hectares, but was sold and subdivided multiple times during the 19th century, including a parcel sold in the 1830s that would eventually become Château Cheval Blanc. In 1892, André Villepigue and his wife Henriette de Chevremont, the grandparents of Thierry Manoncourt, acquired the estate. In January 1947, Thierry Manoncourt, an agronomical engineer trained in Paris, took over and devoted his life to elevating Figeac to the front ranks of Saint-Émilion. Known as the Pharaoh of Saint-Émilion, he oversaw more than 60 harvests and died in 2010. His widow, Marie-France Manoncourt, serves as Honorary President, and in 2013 the family appointed Frédéric Faye as Managing Director, opening a new era of precision and investment at the estate.

• Gallo-Roman origins dating to the 2nd century, with a 200-hectare estate in the late 18th century before subdivisions reduced it to its present form
• The Manoncourt family has owned Château Figeac since 1892; Thierry Manoncourt took over in January 1947 and led the estate until his death in 2010
• Frédéric Faye, who joined Figeac in 2002 and rose through technical roles, was appointed Managing Director in 2013
• A state-of-the-art 5,000 m2 winery, built between 2018 and 2021 and extending 12 meters underground, was inaugurated in 2021

Château Figeac was classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the inaugural 1955 Saint-Émilion classification, the rank it held for nearly seven decades. In the 2022 reclassification, it became the sole estate to earn promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A, joining Pavie as one of only two châteaux at the top of the appellation after Angélus, Ausone, and Cheval Blanc voluntarily withdrew from the system. The promotion validated Thierry Manoncourt's lifelong conviction that Figeac's terroir placed it among Bordeaux's very finest. Beyond classification, Figeac is historically significant for being the first Right Bank estate to create a second wine (in 1945) and among the first in Bordeaux to use temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Thierry Manoncourt served as President of the Jurade de Saint-Émilion for 23 years and was a co-founder of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.

• Classified Premier Grand Cru Classé B in 1955; promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the 2022 classification, valid through the 2031 harvest
• Figeac and Pavie are the only two estates at the Premier Grand Cru Classé A level in the 2022 classification
• Thierry Manoncourt was the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon in significant proportions on the Right Bank, a foundational decision for the estate's identity
• Pioneer in Right Bank winemaking: first to create a second wine (1945), and an early adopter of temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation vats

Château Figeac is situated in the northwest corner of the Saint-Émilion appellation, on the border with Pomerol and adjacent to Cheval Blanc. Its terroir is defined by three Günzian gravel knolls composed of quartz and flint, sitting over a subsoil of iron-rich blue clay. This stands in sharp contrast to the limestone-clay soils of the central plateau, where most other Premiers Grands Crus Classés are located. The gravel provides excellent drainage and reflected heat, enabling the full ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, which are notoriously difficult to ripen elsewhere on the Right Bank. The 41-hectare vineyard, planted to 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Merlot, has an average vine age of 35 years; some Merlot vines date to 1921. The team practices massal selection from old vines, maintaining a 0.65-hectare legacy plot dedicated to preserving the estate's most remarkable clones. Nearly 12 hectares of the 54-hectare estate are preserved as natural areas, earning Figeac the designation of wildlife reserve since 2013.

• Three Günzian gravel knolls of quartz and flint over iron-rich blue clay, a geological exception in the Saint-Émilion appellation
• 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Merlot; gravel soils provide the drainage and heat reflection needed to ripen Cabernets fully on the Right Bank
• Average vine age of 35 years; oldest Merlot vines date to 1921; 0.65-hectare legacy plot supports massal selection for genetic preservation
• ISO 14001-certified since 2015 and HVE Level 3-certified; registered as a wildlife reserve since 2013, with nearly 12 hectares of natural habitat

Fermentation at Château Figeac takes place in a combination of stainless steel and French oak vats, with the 2021 winery allowing full plot-by-plot vinification across 40 truncated-cone stainless steel vats and 8 custom-made French oak vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels. The wine is aged for 15 to 18 months in 100% new French oak barriques before bottling. The resulting grand vin is known for its deep purple color, complex aromatic profile of peony, infused fruit, and graphite, and a satiny, vibrant palate with pronounced mineral character on the finish. The Cabernet-dominant structure gives Figeac a freshness and precision that is uncommon in Merlot-dominated Saint-Émilion, often compared in style to the great growths of the Médoc. The wine repays extended cellaring and can evolve gracefully for 40 or more years.

• Plot-by-plot fermentation in 40 stainless steel vats and 8 custom French oak vats in the 2021 winery; malolactic fermentation in barrel
• Aged 15 to 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels; approximately 120,000 bottles of grand vin produced annually, with 40,000 of Petit-Figeac
• Aromatic profile of peony, infused dark fruit, cedar, and graphite; palate is satiny and precise with a mineral, saline finish
• Cabernet-driven structure delivers aging potential of 40 or more years, with graceful evolution toward cedar, tobacco, and secondary complexity

Château Figeac underwent a quality renaissance beginning with the 2009 vintage, building through 2012 and accelerating dramatically from 2013 onward under Frédéric Faye and consulting winemaker Michel Rolland. The 2015 vintage received three perfect 100-point scores from Jeb Dunnuck, Jane Anson, and Decanter, while the 2016 is widely considered equally exceptional. The estate's own website highlights 2015, 2018, and 2020 as hallmark vintages for freshness, and identifies 2010, 2016, and 2019 as definitive expressions of the terroir. The 2019 was acclaimed by critics as one of the three best Bordeaux wines of the year, achieving an average score of 98.38 out of 100 on the Global Wine Score platform. The 2022, Figeac's first vintage as Premier Grand Cru Classé A, received scores of 97 to 100 points from multiple critics and is widely considered one of the finest wines of the vintage.

• 2015 vintage: three perfect 100-point scores from Jeb Dunnuck, Jane Anson, and Decanter; widely considered a modern benchmark
• 2016 vintage: cited by critics and the estate as among the finest ever produced, rivaling the 2015
• 2019 vintage: average score of 98.38 out of 100 on Global Wine Score, acclaimed as one of three best Bordeaux wines of the year
• 2022 vintage: first as Premier Grand Cru Classé A, rated 97 to 100 points across major critics; earliest harvest in the estate's history (September 1 to 25)

Château Figeac's Cabernet-driven profile, mineral salinity, and precise structure align it more closely with the food affinities of Left Bank Bordeaux than with its Merlot-dominated Right Bank neighbors. Its firm but refined tannins, bright acidity, and graphite-edged character make it an exceptional companion to red meats and game, particularly preparations with herbal or earthy elements that echo the wine's aromatic complexity. Younger vintages benefit from dishes with sufficient richness to balance their structure, while aged Figeac, with its evolved cedar, tobacco, and truffle notes, pairs beautifully with more delicate and refined preparations. The wine's freshness and length make it versatile at the table.

• Herb-crusted rack of lamb or saddle of venison; the wine's Cabernet Franc herbaceousness and mineral finish complement Mediterranean and game preparations
• Duck confit or roast pigeon; the wine's bright acidity and silken tannins cut through richness while the fruit mirrors the savory-sweet balance of the dish
• Beef tenderloin with a porcini mushroom sauce; the graphite and earthy mineral notes of Figeac highlight umami without overpowering delicate aromatics
• Aged Comté or Mimolette; mature Figeac with its cedar, tobacco, and truffle secondary aromas pairs beautifully with the nutty, crystalline complexity of aged French cheese