2019 Chateau Figeac

Positively ancient in wine terms, Chateau Figeac has a history of grape growing going back to Roman times. Once a large estate of 200 hectares, various divisions over the years, most notably selling the parcel that would become Chateau Cheval Blanc, the estate now covers 37 hectares and is planted to 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Merlot. The high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon is rare on the Right Bank, and owes to the soil being a mainly fine gravel base, and the resultant wine requires at least mid-term cellaring to soften.

Other Reviews....
The 2019 Figeac has turned out brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, cassis, warm spices, violets and pencil shavings, framed by a deft touch of nicely integrated new oak, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with terrific depth at the core, powdery structuring tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, precise finish. Rich but vibrant, this 2019 reflects the new precision that Frédéric Faye has brought to Figeac; but while it's richer and more polished than the wines of yesteryear, the estate's identity hasn't been lost. Drink 2029 - 2065.
97 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)

The 2019 Figeac is without question one of the wines of the vintage. All the promise it showed as a young barrel sample, is all there in bottle, too. Estate Director Frédéric Faye crafted a towering, statuesque Figeac built on vertical energy and a feeling of vibrancy that never lets up. Deep layers of red/purplish fruit, cedar, tobacco, mint and dried flowers are framed by a super-classic expression of structure that keeps things in balance. There is a bit more Cabernet Franc in this year's blend, and that definitely comes through. Readers who can find the 2019 should not hesitate, as it is truly majestic. Drink 2034 - 2069.
99 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous

This is a really beautiful red with crushed-berry, plum, bark, mushroom and earth character. It’s full and creamy-textured with lots of tannins, but they are integrated and polished and flow across the palate. So much depth and intensity, yet there’s underlying grace and class. Try after 2025.
98 points
James Suckling

The 2019 Château Figeac checks in as 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot, and it's another brilliant wine from Frédéric Faye. This deep purple-hued effort offers a beautiful Pauillac-like bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, damp earth, leafy herbs, chocolate, and smoked tobacco. It has classic Figeac herbal, earthy goodness (no doubt due to its high percentage of Cabernet) and is medium to full-bodied on the palate, has perfect tannins and flawless balance, all making for a brilliant Saint-Emilion that brings richness and power paired with finesse and elegance. Give bottles 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30+. Drink 2026 - 2058.
98 points
Jeb Dunnuck

This 2019 Figeac offers an irresistible bouquet offering a compelling and complex mix of plum and raspberry fruit, floral scents of iris and violet, mingling with liquorice, graphite and a grace note of menthol. A judicious touch of perfectly integrated new oak completes its multilayered aromatic profile. There is real density for the full-bodied, even fleshy, palate that is structured by a framework of precise, fine-grained tannins that leads to the airborne finish that is all the more remarkable in the context of such a sumptuous vintage. Here is a Figeac that is beautifully expressive of its terroir with cellaring potential for up to thirty to forty years. Drink 2025 - 2050.
99 points
Yohan Castaing - Decanter

Not quite at the level of the over the moon 2016, but not too far either, this sublime gem is almost opaque in color. This is so concentrated, silky, rich and decadent, it's almost off the charts. Blackberry, espresso, black currants, licorice, flowers and wet earth with cherry blossoms crowd into the perfume. Fresh, vibrant, lively and structured to age and evolve for decades, the wine ends with waves of perfectly ripe, vibrant, red and black fruits that simply do not want to quit! Drink from 2035-2060.
99 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider