Figeac 2019

robert_parker100

Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2019 Figeac is composed of 30% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 13th of September to the 7th of October. The alcohol this year is 14.1% and the pH is 3.7. Steal-your-heart scents of mulberries, black raspberries, Black Forest cake and cassis prance ever so gracefully out of the glass, followed by nuances of plum preserves, red roses, cinnamon toast and clove oil plus just a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate shimmers with electric energy, framed by a solid backbone of wonderfully ripe, grainy Cabernet-led tannins and bold freshness, finishing with fantastic persistence and with tons of emerging earth and floral layers. This is a simply stunning, seemingly effortless, beautifully harmonious expression of the vineyard and the vintage—bravo!

robert_parker97

Reviewed by: William Kelley

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.

vinous99

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

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.

vinous99

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

A stunning vivid wine, the 2019 Figeac may very well turn out to be one of the wines of the vintage, when all is said and done. Cabernet Franc is 36%, a bit higher than the norm, which has been closer to 30%. The 100% new oak is barely perceptible. Rich and dramatic in the glass, the 2019 soars with magnificent intensity. Graphite, cured meats, smoke, licorice, menthol and spice develop with aeration, but the 2019 is dense and very primary today. It is a truly grand Grand Vin in the making. Estate Director Frédéric Faye describes a year of starting and stopping in terms of maturity. He chose to start harvest with the young vine Merlots on sand early to preserve freshness, but waited on the parcels with Cabernet on clay/gravel, where the soils retain more moisture. Faye opted for gentle winemaking as he was concerned over-extracting the Cabernets in particular.

vinous98

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2019 Figeac has a wonderful nose, beautifully defined with black fruit, loam, black truffle shavings and light graphite scents. Very focused and plenty of vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, intense and almost pixelated towards the vibrant, tensile finish. Effortless and classy, this should evolve gracefully for many years. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

vinous98

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2019 Figeac was bottled in mid-July. Deep in color, with a bouquet that is initially backward and reticent. It requires a few minutes to shake off the veil of oak from the élevage. As I observed last year, the Cabernet Franc is very expressive this year, contributing blackberry and graphite notes and lending a more Left Bank-style bouquet. The palate is very fresh from the first moment, and very well structured, delivering layers of black fruit struck through by a fine bead of acidity. The tannins are very fine, and that crucial saline element appears toward the persistent finish. This is overtly classic in style and will require cellaring to reveal its full potential. But what potential! Chapeau, Frédéric Faye and team Manoncourt.

vinous99

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2019 Figeac was picked from 13 September to 7 October, a total of 4 weeks picking. There is a little more emphasis on the Cabernet Franc this year - 36% of the blend. It is quintessential Figeac on the nose, that is to say that the enticing mélange of Merlot and Cabernet together creates more than a sum of their parts. Here the blackberry, crushed stone and graphite elements are seamlessly enmeshed with the more ravishing red fruit aspects delivered by the ripe Merlot. It is exquisitely defined. The palate is medium-bodied. First impressions are of a Figeac that leans more to the Cabernet/Left Bank side of its personality, quite structured with black fruit dominating, saline and marine-influenced. The Merlot really comes through towards the close delivering that almost clinical mineral-driven finish. Winemaker Frédéric Faye and his team have conjured a deeply impressive, intellectual Figeac this years, amongst the canon of greats that stretch back to the 1940s.