CHÂTEAU FIGEAC
2015 1er Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
29 % Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very deep colour with a fresh blue edge. Nose is fresh, a dryer sense than the Petit Figeac, more pencils (lead and shavings) than outright fruit, with an excellent floral lift. Fleshy, but still cool and dry in its expression. Excellent ripe fine tannins build in intensity. The winemaker went straight to compare it to 2005/9/10 - 'an idyllic vintage for us, the weather good at the end, so we had a full month to pick each plot just when we wanted, and all the varieties are top quality'. I'd be inclined to agree that Figeac seem to have nailed this vintage. The high proportion of Cabernets (71% in total) and the position on the clay-limestone hillside meant the wines did not become heavy, and anyway they picked all the Merlot by the 25th of September and the last of the Cabernets by the 15th October as they do not seek overripeness. Rating: 93-94 L&S (Apr 2016)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2015 Figeac has an opulent, peppermint-infused bouquet with pure black fruit, violet and eucalyptus scents emerging with time. The oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannins. This is not a powerful Right Bank, yet it's pixelated and precise. The spine of acidity is well judged, gently fanning out on the saline- and licorice-tinged finish. The 2015 is excellent. Tasted blind at the 2015 Bordeaux Ten-Year-On tasting at Farr Vintners. Drinking range: 2028 - 2052 Rating: 97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jun 2025)
Sweet ripe berry fruits on the nose, depth of flavour, precision and clarity that last from the first to the last moment of this wine. Clear cocoa bean, espresso, chocolate, but also concentrated bilberry, blackberry and raspberry. The tannins are slate-strewn, textured, adding persistency and mouthwatering salinity to the palate. This is a brilliant Figeac, and ones that lovers of this wine should absolutely not miss. Harvest September 21 to October 15, 100% new oak for ageing. Drinking range: 2025 - 2050 Rating: 100 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2022)
The 2015 Figeac is a step up from the 2014 with exquisite scents of red berry fruit, incense, rose petal and crush stone. Pixelated with wonderful precision. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, wonderful backbone allied with a sense of symmetry. It is more saline than previous vintages, with saliva flowing after the wine has exited. One of the standouts from the Right Bank in this vintage. Tasted at the château. Drinking range: 2025 - 2055 Rating: 97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Dec 2021)
Fabulous aromas of blackberries, black licorice and lavender. Rose petals, too. Full-bodied, deep and powerful with a sexy tannin texture of plush velvet. Long and caressing. Muscular and poised. Needs until 2022 to come together but a modern and focused Figeac. Drinking range: 2022 - Rating: 97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Feb 2018)
One of the real standouts of the vintage, the 2015 Figeac soars out of the glass with stunning aromatic presence and beautifully layered fruit. Powerful and yet also light on its feet, it is wonderfully complex from start to finish. Plum, mocha, spice, new leather and menthol gradually open up, but the 2015 is most remarkable for its sensual perfume and exceptional overall balance. This is the first vintage the winemaking team followed a new protocol designed to maintain purity of fruit and aromas by reducing contact with oxygen during the first year of aging. The 2015 Figeac is magnificent. Drinking range: 2025 - 2055 Rating: 97 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2018)
29% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon. Lovely combo of opulence and freshness. The Cabernet Sauvignon surely helps. Real drive and Figeac character. Real savour. Sappy. 14% Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 18 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2016)
This has the second highest ever percentage of Cabernet Franc, as well as its customary backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon, giving the wine a freshness, perfume and structure that some St. Emilions lack in 2015. Plush, concentrated and built to age, with very fine tannins, classy oak and impressive length. Drinking range: 2022 - 2040 Rating: 96 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2016)
Classic style but added precision this year. 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 29% Merlot. Fragrant floral and dark fruit notes. Lovely depth of fruit on the palate. Ripe, enrobed tannins provide a velvety texture as well as persistence and length. Overall freshness and harmony. The 100% new oak is completely integrated. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 95 James Lawther MW, decanter.com (Apr 2016)
The 2015 Figeac is a blend of 29% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon that was picked from 21 September with the Merlot until 15 October with the Cabernet Sauvignon at 41 hectoliters per hectare. The Cabernet comes through strongly on the nose - classic Figeac in many ways - black fruit, a touch of cassis, pencil and a touch of rose petal. The palate is drop-dead gorgeous, its foundation a lattice of filigree tannin and perfectly judged acidity. It is very fresh from its vivacious start to its pencil-lead finish imbued with effortless grace. It is almost comical that naysayers decried that Michel Rolland would turn Figeac into some kind of fruit bomb. Head winemaker Frédéric Faye has overseen a tip-top classic Figeac without any of the greenness that occasionally affected older vintages, now boasting a level of precision up there with the very best in the Right Bank. It was difficult to find fault with this quite astonishing Saint Emilion and who knows what could transpire once it is in bottle. Drinking range: 2022 - 2055 Rating: 97-99 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
The 2015 Figeac is superb. A blast of tannin hits the palate first followed by waves of inky purplish fruit, exotic spices, new leather, lavender and mint. Beams of pulsating acidity and structure give the 2015 much of its super-distinctive personality. The 2015 is powerful and built to age, that much is clear. In 2015, Figeac brings together the generosity of the year with the classic sense of structure that is so unique to Figeac, with a touch greater polish that Michel Rolland has brought since he arrived. The 2015 is compelling. It's as simple as that. Rating: 93-96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
This is the most structured Figeac in modern times. I tasted wines from this estate from the 1920s and 1910s but this is something. Full and powerful. Pure and focused. Extracted cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Rating: 97-98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2016)
This has eye-opening power and depth, with a well of currant, fig and blackberry fruit that is supported by fresh tobacco and warm stones notes. Grippy through the finish, with a loam note adding more bass, this still stays focused and integrated. Rating: 94—97 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2016)
Château Figeac
Figeac is a very ancient estate dating from the Gallo-Roman period. Its origins go back to at least the 2nd century, at which time it belonged to the Figeacus family, who gave their name to the “villa” located on this site. Château Figeac has been in the family of the present owner since 1892. Thierry Manoncourt, later assisted by his wife, Marie–France, took great pains to renovate the vineyards in order to bring Figeac up to the level of the very greatest Bordeaux. Today, his daughter Laure and his son-in-law Count Eric d’Aramon have joined them in managing the estate, and perpetuating the family tradition. Figeac is located in the “Graves de Saint Emilion”. It has an unusual topography and outstanding terroir consisting of three gravelly outcrops. This explains why Figeac is the right bank wine chateau with the highest proportion of Cabernet grapes. It is a great but atypical wine, often called “the most Médoc of Saint Emilion wines”.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.