2009 Château Figeac

Château Figeac is a 99-acre estate in the St.-Emilion appellation. It is a Premier Grand Cru Class B in the official classification of St.-Emilion wine. Figeac traces its history to the second century, when a Roman named Figeacus built an estate on the site. By the late 18th century the estate was nearly 500 acres in size, but it was subsequently subdivided several times. By the early 20th century it had passed on to the Manoncourt family, which still owns and operates it. Unlike most other St.-Emilion estates, Château Figeac grows a significant amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, which thrives in the estate’s gravel soil. The vineyards are planted to 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot. Because of the Cabernet Sauvignon the estate’s wines sometimes are thought to have more in common with the Bordeaux of Medoc and Graves than the other wines of St.-Emilion.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.