1979 Ch. Figeac - a wine from another era

[Robert.A.Jr]

I heard Rolland hates Burgundy so he has made Gothic the new style for Figeac.

I kid, I kid.

Mark, what’s your take on the new Figeac?

[Mark_Golodetz]

Too early to tell. Certainly made with the objective of being promoted to take its place alongside Angelus and Pavie ( a dubious distinction). The wines I have tasted seem to be riper and more glossy, but I also sense some real substance underneath. But these are early days, and I look forward to tasting them in ten years.

[asnitow]

I heard Rolland hates Burgundy so he has made Gothic the new style for Figeac.

I kid, I kid.

Mark, what’s your take on the new Figeac?

When do you date the new Figeac to? First vintage under new regime is which? Thanks.

[Robert.A.Jr]

Leve’s website says 2012.

[Tom_Reddick]

Interesting, Martin,

I just drank an '83 of this wine this weekend. No fruit bomb either, but not a great experience; I don’t think it was the best bottle.

Interesting Joshua,

I drank ´83 around 10 years ago and it was mind-blowing.

Fair to say that Ch. Figeac has a lot of bottle variations according to the TNs I read from cellartracker etc. On the table was a danish wine merchant he also praised the wine and Figeac in general, clearly a Figeac lover. He said that he was in a restaurant and a Figeac blown away a Ch. Petrus from the table. I forgot the vintage.

OR maybe the Figeac-style could be easily overlooked?! Its not a jump-in-the-face wine, rather an unexcitedly wine which impresses by balance/harmony and elegance.

OR I am just a blind Figeac lover.

I think CT can be difficult to rely on with Figeac as with Magdelaine for a couple of reasons.

First, I have observed over the past 20+ years that St. Emilion wines are a bit of an acquired taste here in the USA. It took me a while to come to fully appreciate them, and I have seen the same in many of my wine tasting friends.

Second, and this may well impact my point above, wines like Figeac and Magdelaine can be very dangerous to purchase in the United States because the wines have never been as widely appreciated as more widely followed Bordeaux, and thus many of the bottles languished on store shelves for an uncommonly long time. Unless I have rock solid provenance (buying from cellar’s in Mark G’s neighborhood is good enough), I backfill older vintages from European brokers I know and trust. That comes at a premium- but having tasted a great many Figeacs and Magdelaines I can attest to the fact it is worth it. These are incredibly durable and long-lived wines- even surpassing the first growths in that respect in many vintages. If you are opening a Figeac or Magdelaine under 30 years of age and it is brown in color or fading after 1-2 hours in decanter, it is either from an atrocious vintage or it is heat damaged IMHO. I had a 1987 Magdelaine not long ago that, while fully developed, was still a lovely bright red and far from fading. I will agree in advance that every bottle varies- especially at a certain age- but as a general rule I stand by what I have said.

Martin- I share your love for Figeac and also treasure it for the harmony and elegance you report. I describe as tranquil very often. It is very relaxing- and not well suited to the big balls style of wine so many people like right now. One can get lost in thoughts- almost in dreams- while savoring a glass in a quiet setting. I also like it because when it gets old I find it usually has a very particular aroma of freshly cut lily pads. When I was growing up, I would often go out to my grandfather’s farm and help him clear overgrown lily pads from his pond. Sitting in piles on the bank, freshly cut, they have a very distinctive aroma. It is similar to cut grass but more pungent and with suggestions of the scent of a grass field right after it rains. A very unique aroma I have never forgotten, and now as an adult I find it in Figeac- but nowhere else.

Final note while we are on the subject- the 1971 Figeac is drinking beautifully now and very much worth the effort to seek out. I have always been more of a fan than most of the 1971s, and while I have not had all of the great wines of that vintage- for me Figeac and Petrus are the greatest examples. The Figeac is the more calm and sedate of the pair, but like Petrus is nowhere near decline and has another decade in it at the very least.

[Martin_Zwick]

I am not alone! DANKE, Tom

[Mark_Golodetz]

Please don’t get me wrong, I love Figeac, I love the fact they took risks, I love the high proportion of Cabernet on some of the great Saint Emilion terroir. Sometimes the wines succeeded brilliantly, sometimes the grapes were picked too early, and the wines are less desirable.

The new regime has gone for ripeness, aided by the effects of global warming. Perhaps we will never again have that marginal Figeac, but we will have more consistent wines. And I still don’t think it will ever taste like Burgundy.

[Robert.A.Jr]

When I was growing up, I would often go out to my grandfather’s farm and help him clear overgrown lily pads from his pond. Sitting in piles on the bank, freshly cut, they have a very distinctive aroma. It is similar to cut grass but more pungent and with suggestions of the scent of a grass field right after it rains. A very unique aroma I have never forgotten, and now as an adult I find it in Figeac- but nowhere else.

Petrichor!

Figeac and Magdelaine stood alone, I think, in that respect, and now they are both gone - one literally, one stylistically.

I’m not aware of any other St Em that fits the bill that you so eloquently lay out.

Any that I am missing? Is there a Sociando in hiding, an iconoclastic producer in St Em that will not change course? I cannot opine about Ausone or Cheval Blanc as they are out of my league, and last that I have had of either was the 2000 Cheval, which incidentally, was amazing. Last Ausone I had was from the 1950s, but that is another story . . . .

[Mark_Golodetz]

Canon also was a dinosaur in that respect. My guess is that even if they wanted to, they could not make the wines of yesteryear

[MitchTallan]

My dad had a decent collection of Burgundy and Bordeaux and starting at the age of 15 or so, he would open a bottle every Friday night and give me one glass to consumer with dinner.
I was 15 in 1974.
Two wines were my epiphany wines, Calon Segur and Figeac in various vintages between '59 and '71.
I am sitting on three bottles of 2000 Figeac that I bought upon release. I don’t hold out that much hope for them.

[Robert.A.Jr]

My dad had a decent collection of Burgundy and Bordeaux and starting at the age of 15 or so, he would open a bottle every Friday night and give me one glass to consumer with dinner.
I was 15 in 1974.
Two wines were my epiphany wines, Calon Segur and Figeac in various vintages between '59 and '71.
I am sitting on three bottles of 2000 Figeac that I bought upon release. I don’t hold out that much hope for them.

Why is that?

I just checked CT notes, and while there are a few notes that might disappoint, there are also consistent notes from super-tasters, A.So (four bottles) and Faryan, both of whom have scored it a 93; plus even some 93s from Mike Dildine and DCWino (Kevin Shin?). Panos also scored it a 93. Seems like a wine that appeals to both camps. Well, Leve has scored it an 84 and an 87.

I do not recall having tried this vintage, but do have a bottle in my fridge.

[Martin_Zwick]

Regarding 2000 Figeac, here in Europe the well-known Austrian wine&food magazin FALSTAFF gave 91/100 at a Figeac-vertical in 2012. On Wine Specatator someone gave 94/100. In Switzerland an expert gave 97/100


http://mybestwine.ch/figeac/

[Mark_Golodetz]

My dad had a decent collection of Burgundy and Bordeaux and starting at the age of 15 or so, he would open a bottle every Friday night and give me one glass to consumer with dinner.
I was 15 in 1974.
Two wines were my epiphany wines, Calon Segur and Figeac in various vintages between '59 and '71.
I am sitting on three bottles of 2000 Figeac that I bought upon release. I don’t hold out that much hope for them.

2000 Figeac is one of those marginal ones, slammed by several critics. I have a slightly greater tolerance for herbal, and I really like the wine.

[MitchTallan]

Figeac and Calon Segur have something in common-great labels.
I love the colors and font of the Figeac label and would love to know the history of how they came up with it. It is modernistic much as Brane Cantenac was back in the day but the Figeac label remains stunning in a way that Brane Cantenac’s does not. The Figeac label is reminiscent (to me) of Robert Indiana’s “LOVE”. And then I always loved the heart and story (which I do know) behind it on the Calon label. Irrelevant to the conversation at hand and needless thread-drift. Sorry.

[Gerhard_P]

When I was growing up, I would often go out to my grandfather’s farm and help him clear overgrown lily pads from his pond. Sitting in piles on the bank, freshly cut, they have a very distinctive aroma. It is similar to cut grass but more pungent and with suggestions of the scent of a grass field right after it rains. A v ery unique aroma I have never forgotten, and now as an adult I find it in Figeac- but nowhere else.

Petrichor!

Figeac and Magdelaine stood alone, I think, in that respect, and now they are both gone - one literally, one stylistically.

I’m not aware of any other St Em that fits the bill that you so eloquently lay out.

Any that I am missing? Is there a Sociando in hiding, an iconoclastic producer in St Em that will not change course? I cannot opine about Ausone or Cheval Blanc as they are out of my league, and last that I have had of either was the 2000 Cheval, which incidentally, was amazing. Last Ausone I had was from the 1950s, but that is another story . . . .

Larmande?

[Robert.A.Jr]

Thanks, Gerhard. We were actually talking about Larmande on another thread - a Chateau that I used to love - but had not tried in any more recent vintages so was curious where it stood stylistically.

[Mark_Thompson]

Final note while we are on the subject- the 1971 Figeac is drinking beautifully now and very much worth the effort to seek out. I have always been more of a fan than most of the 1971s, and while I have not had all of the great wines of that vintage- for me Figeac and Petrus are the greatest examples. The Figeac is the more calm and sedate of the pair, but like Petrus is nowhere near decline and has another decade in it at the very least.

On the 1971 Right Bank wines, I’ve loved both the VCC and Latour A Pomerol recently. I haven’t picked up any Figeac older than the 1978, but it’s not for lack of trying.

[k_s_h_i_n]

My dad had a decent collection of Burgundy and Bordeaux and starting at the age of 15 or so, he would open a bottle every Friday night and give me one glass to consumer with dinner.
I was 15 in 1974.
Two wines were my epiphany wines, Calon Segur and Figeac in various vintages between '59 and '71.
I am sitting on three bottles of 2000 Figeac that I bought upon release. I don’t hold out that much hope for them.

Why is that?

I just checked CT notes, and while there are a few notes that might disappoint, there are also consistent notes from super-tasters, A.So (four bottles) and Faryan, both of whom have scored it a 93; plus even some 93s from Mike Dildine and DCWino (Kevin Shin?). Panos also scored it a 93. Seems like a wine that appeals to both camps. Well, Leve has scored it an 84 and an 87.

I do not recall having tried this vintage, but do have a bottle in my fridge.

The 00 is very green, atypical for the vintage. It was picked way too early.

P.S. The fruit expression in Figeac is red. It is lighter and rounder than other recent right bank wines. Some of the Figeacs are very Burgundian.

• 1975 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (9/3/2015)
  Lost Thursday Wine Lunch - Blacksalt (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Fully mature Bordeaux nose displaying sweet but shy red fruits, cherry and raspberry, a hint of green/mint, truffle, caramel, cedar and sous bois. Warm and round, shy sweet red fruit driven palate impression, good mineral presence, no noticeable tannins and sweet medium finish. This is a fully mature classic Figeac that must have been picked early. I often find Figeac very Burgundian and this is no exception. Not as impressive/concentrated as the 75 Latour but showing excellent precision and lovely detail. For my palate, this is an ideal wine to sip in cool crisp wet autumn night, perhaps with a piece of comte. (94 pts.)
• 1998 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (1/18/2012)
  Chateau Figeac dinner with Mr. Eric d’Aramon (Ruth Chris - Washington DC): The 98 is my favorite at the moment. This is a very exotic and hedonistic wine. Deeply toned red fruits, flower, cinnamon, nutmeg, chartreuse and cedar. This displays similar Burgundian aspects as the 2001. Excellent concentration, bright acidity and integrated tannins. Lovely wine. (97 pts.)
• 2001 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (1/18/2012)
  Chateau Figeac dinner with Mr. Eric d’Aramon (Ruth Chris - Washington DC): Very Burgundian impression but distinctively Bordeaux, bright red fruits, cedar, licorice, caramel as usual for this property a hint of green which in this case quite refreshing. This medium body wine is the most approachable in this flight, soft, sweet and luscious. It is ready to go and will complement most meat dishes well. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Thomas_Keim]

When I first started with wine, I did an incredible course in Bordeaux. Among the tastings was a 1979 horizontal, and Figeac was definitely the outlier with an strong asparagus nose.

Tasted it three times since, last in 2006, and the asparagus aromas were always front and center; wonder if they have dissipated with age.

I was liquidating a very large retail cellar in Chicago in the mid-1980s and they had close to 100 cases of 1979 Figeac. At 4-5 years of age, it was definitely grassy and herbal, and just plain kind of weird. We dumped it dirt cheap ($13 a bottle) and the hopes that it would come around some day. Bottles in the '90s seemed to be drying out as well. Always wondered where the hell that wine went - glad to see it could have come around -

[Mark_Golodetz]

Final note while we are on the subject- the 1971 Figeac is drinking beautifully now and very much worth the effort to seek out. I have always been more of a fan than most of the 1971s, and while I have not had all of the great wines of that vintage- for me Figeac and Petrus are the greatest examples. The Figeac is the more calm and sedate of the pair, but like Petrus is nowhere near decline and has another decade in it at the very least.

On the 1971 Right Bank wines, I’ve loved both the VCC and Latour A Pomerol recently. I haven’t picked up any Figeac older than the 1978, but it’s not for lack of trying.

The other hidden vintage on the Right Bank is 1975- especially true in Pomerol.