Wine Advisor
Figeac 1982
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1982 Figeac continues to develop magnificently. It is probably the best Figeac produced in the last thirty years, although I am betting the 1990 will surpass the glorious 1982. One 1982 that is drinking brilliantly, it has the potential richness and structure to last for at least another 15 years. The color is surprisingly dark for a Figeac, with no lightening at the edges. A huge, explosive nose soars from the glass offering scents of jammy blackcurrants, cedar, vanillin, peppery black olives, and toasty new oak. Lavishly rich and medium to full-bodied, with wonderful extraction of flavor and that sweet, luscious fruit that is the hallmark of this vintage, this stupendous wine continues to go from strength to strength. Last tasted, 7/93.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The fully mature 1982 offers a profoundly complex nose of cedar, smoky tobacco/cigar box, dried herbs, black currants, licorice, and spice. In the mouth, the wine does not reveal the huge volume and roasted ripeness found in many of the top 1982s, but it does possess extraordinary complexity, finesse, and harmony. Medium-bodied, with gorgeously rich fruit, this delicate, subtle, ethereal effort is both well-defined and intense. It should continue to drink well for 7-10 years, possibly longer.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the 1982 dinner at The Square. Bottles of the Figeac 1982 have been variable of late, nothing approaching the stellar one that I proffered in Bordeaux in 2006. This bottle is rustic on the nose, a little bretty perhaps, but pulls together with aeration: chestnut, mushroom, a touch of fig and cracked black pepper. The palate is still quite tannic (from the Cabernet obviously), layers of cedar-infused fruit, quite rounded, more cedar and cigar box coming through towards the chalky, prune-tinged finish. It does coalesce and mellow in the glass, but approach this Figeac with caution. Tasted August 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Although this particular bottle was not showing its best (see earlier notes of just how good this wine can be), it was still better than the ’83. There is a slight flatness on the nose with faint touches of fresh tobacco and wild mushroom. The palate is full-bodied, great definition, very tannic and just lacking the vigour and opulence that I know that this wine can have. On its day, I think the Figeac ’82 can outperform the Cheval Blanc...but not this magnum. Tasted December 2007.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This is actually a younger, more concentrated wine than the 1990. A dense plum/garnet color with a slight lightening at the edge is followed by a sensational Figeac nose of mint, fruitcake, Asian spices, gobs of sweet black and red fruits, and a smoky component in the background. Medium to full-bodied with lovely freshness, this 1982 appears to be fully mature, but it tasted the same a decade ago, and it should hold at this level for another 10-20 years. Release price: ($130.00/case)
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A marvelous example of Figeac, the 1982 is the finest wine made at this estate in over two decades. (I expect the 1990 to be a noteworthy rival.) The 1982 has been drinking deliciously for the last 4-5 years. Never a blockbuster, heavyweight wine, it exhibits exceptional perfume and complexity. The intense nose of berry fruit, Asian spices, and herbs is provocative. On the palate, the wine reveals no hard edges, wonderful ripeness, a silky smooth texture, and that tell-tale Figeac olive, blackcurrant, and vanillin-like fruitiness. It is hard to predict how long a wine such as this will last. It is clearly at its plateau of maturity and should keep for another 15 years . Tasted 12 times since bottling with consistent notes.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This is an outstanding Figeac, in my mind one of the most over-looked and underrated 1982's. First tasted in April 2003 at the Vigneronne vertical, An impressive deep purple colour with tawny rim. A huge exotic nose with notes of wood, undergrowth and cinnamon. The palate is concentrated, well-balanced with notes of dark chocolate and caramel. A hint of eucalyptus on the finish. However it is not quite as voluptuous and intellectual as I expected. Still, this has the acidity to last a few more years so keep it a while longer. This was probably at its peak in the mid-90's although it was still attractive. Then at the St. Julien dinner in April 2006 and a different bottle altogether. I think this is the best Figeac of the 1980's. A surprisingly deep garnet core for an 82. The nose is dominated by Cabernet Franc: cooked meat and a touch of wet sand. The palate is very concentrated, beautifully balanced with a slightly savory, dried blood mid-palate. Very good weight with a crescendo of gamey red fruits on the finish. Just a gorgeous Saint Emilion wine that has a few years ahead. Tasted April 2006.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Corked.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Tasted 9 Times Since Bottling With Consistent Notes The 1982 appears to get fuller and fuller each time I go back to it. I have already said I have had a tendency to underestimate Figeac young, when it seemed to lack concentration and structure. I have frequently regretted those early low marks, as the wine has an uncanny ability to fill out and display more richness and structure than it initially suggests. The 1982 is turning out to be the best Figeac made at this property since their glorious 1964. It reveals gobs of Cabernet fruit in its herbaceous, cedary, olive-like bouquet, but there is plenty of berry fruit behind it to balance out the herbaceousness. On the palate, the wine is dense and rich, has great extract and length, and is supple and precocious, but, the wine has increasingly become more and more structured as it has aged. Anticipated maturity: now-2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Château Figeac vertical at the property. The 1982 Figeac appears to have dipped in form over the last few years and certainly here, compared directly against the 1989 and 1990, it does not quite offer the same fruit intensity or joie-de-vivre. It feels more diffuse on the nose, perhaps more herbaceous, a facet that I cannot remember on older bottles of 1982 that I tasted. The palate is medium-bodied, atypically austere for a 1982, but with impressive length. It is like a Saint Emilion that has forgotten how to have fun in some ways. It is better than the bottle encountered in 2013, yet given the choice, I would pick the 1990 over the 1982. Tasted June 2015.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
I have had brilliant bottles of the 1982 Figeac, but this wine appears to be characterized by above-average bottle variation. Exhibiting aromas of sweet berry fruit, baking spices and currants, but also a pronounced minty, herbaceous streak, this example is medium-bodied, supple and seamless, with melted tannins and a fragrant finish; but it lacks the texture and completeness of the best bottles. At its best, the 1982 can merit a score two or three points higher, so I was sorry not to land on a great bottle for this report.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A gorgeous wine that rivals the 1990, 1995, and 2000 as the best of the great Figeacs of the last 25 years, this exceptionally perfumed, complex wine shows ravishing notes of Asian spice, Provencal herbs, and sweet red and black currants, along with hints of coffee, cedar, and spice box. Very round and delicious, with no tannin showing, but plenty of sweet fruit, glycerin, and ripeness, this is a beauty that needs to be drunk up in the next decade. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 12/02.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the 1982 dinner at The Square, this Figeac shows more signs of ageing on the rim than the Cheval Blanc. The aromatics are also cut from a very different cloth: much more masculine and herbaceous with noticeable tobacco scents. The Cabernet Sauvignon and quite pronounced and offers a scent of mint with time. The palate is medium-bodied with an underlying greenness that pokes through a little towards the finish. Interestingly, it ameliorates with continued aeration and plotting this Saint Emilion over two hours it develops fine cohesion and length. Still, it remains resolutely austere towards the finish and yet it is refined and classy. Tasted April 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Pebbles/Zachy’s 1982 dinner in Hong Kong. Similar notes to the bottle earlier this year. This has a bouquet that I want to love...but the hard truth is that there are strong herbaceous notes/bell pepper notes indicating that there might be some Cabernet Sauvignon that did not reach phenolic ripeness. The palate is medium-bodied and rather enervated, slightly aggressive tannin and a dry, bell pepper inspired finish. You could call it classic Saint Emilion, but I am convinced this was far better a decade ago. Tasted November 2012.
About the Producer
During the ten years from 2010 to 2020, the team at Château-Figeac stepped up their efforts to craft consistently precise wines whose purity reflects the distinctive character of the terroir. Each plot and each grape variety, once fully expressed, brings a new element to the rich canvas created every year at blending, giving birth to a remarkable succession of great wines. Freshness is a hallmark of our 2015, 2018 and 2020 vintages, despite very hot and sunny weather. So-called classic vintages are reinterpreted with great subtlety and a mineral cast in the 2010, 2016 and 2019 wines. The singular gift of the Château-Figeac terroir comes to the fore in the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017 vintages, when the weather was less auspicious. They produced highly successful wines greatly appreciated by faithful connoisseurs. In 2021, Château-Figeac inaugurated a new 5,000 m² semi underground winery equipped with custom made stainless steel and wooden vats. The summit of elegance, a jewel of innovation and precision designed to meet High Environmental Quality standards, it also offers visitors two light and airy tasting rooms.
1969(1)1977(1)1981(1)
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