Château-Figeac 2009

The tannins show real finesse, the bouquet is complex with notes of cedar and ripe berries, the whole perfectly balanced, with great precision and stylistic integrity—one of the truly great Figeac wines, already incredibly harmonious yet built for a few decades! Even better than en primeur.

Tasted at the Château Figeac vertical at the property and two or three times over the subsequent 12 months. The 2009 Figeac has shown very variably in the past, although my last encounter in 2013 was very positive. How about now? The 2009 seems to have closed down a little since I last tasted it: gravelly and smoky, what you might describe as austere for the vintage. Stylistically it is actually similar to the 2008 Figeac with an appealing savory entry, grainy tannin, a pinch of black pepper and a slightly clipped, but focused finish. This is one of the few Right Bank wines whereby the terroir is more expressive than the growing season, so it will appeal to those that appreciate the style of Figeac, though not necessarily to those that prefer the voluptuousness of the 2009s. Additionally, comparing it directly to the 2010, I suspect that it might not have quite as much longevity as the succeeding vintage. That said, this is still a knockout Saint Emilion that is going to bestow a lot of drinking pleasure over the years. Tasted July 2016.

Distinctive, with atypical (for St.-Emilion) force and drive to the black currant, roasted cedar and maduro tobacco flavors, which are supported by a dense, loam-tinged structure. Terrific roasted espresso, ganache and fig paste notes wait in reserve. Very muscular, but with the cut for balance. Best from 2017 through 2035. 9,200 cases made.

The colour remains deep with no sign of evolution. The nose, too, is still youthful, yet broad and fleshy, with generous blackberry fruit. Plump and rounded, it is more forward than 2010, reflecting the vintage, but it is also very concentrated. The tannins are firm, giving the wine great structure, if not the freshness and energy of the 2010. Long finish.

Even in this super-ripe vintage Figeac retains its usual red bell pepper aroma (from the cabernet sauvignon grape) and that adds a light touch to the opulent fruit cake and spice character. The full fine tannins beautifully support the rich palate and make the finish very long and plush. A great 2009! Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)

Fabulous fruit – a little exotic, pure and dark. Cassis and cedary freshness too. So inviting. The tenderest of tannins, just the right amount of flesh and fine, elegant tannins. This was my coup de coeur of the tasting. (JH)

The 2009 Figeac is a gorgeous wine that is really coming into its own. It has quite a precocious bouquet with wild strawberry, blood orange, fig jam, marmalade and gravelly aromas courtesy of the Cabernets. There is real depth to what is quite a lush aromatic profile. The palate is beautifully balanced, very pure, with a velvety texture, plenty of ripe red fruit, white pepper, clove, blood orange and kirsch notes, building wonderfully toward a powerful yet controlled finish. This is drinking supremely well now, but it will cruise at high altitude for a number of years. Tasted at the château.

Balancing opulence with balance, lift and complexity, this is drinking beautifully today. Its soaring aromatics serve up mint, sweet red fruits, smoke, spice and flowers. Silky, sensuous and long on the opiate, this is the best vintage of Figeac until the incredible non-stop run beginning with 2015. Drink from 2024-2045.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, broad ochre rim brightening. Fine cassis, archetypal Figeac nose of dark berries, liquorice and oak, delicately underlain with nougat and candied orange, a hint of violet and nougat in the background. Juicy, elegant, ripe heart cherry, medium complexity, ripe tannins, good freshness, chocolaty finish, balanced and fresh, mineral and very well developed, already a wonderful food companion today, endowed with length and facets, lively red berry finish.

Very dark, inky colour. Opulent nose of new oak, roasted coffee, blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, spices and tobacco. Very full and dense palate, smooth texture with ripe tannin and flavours of cocoa powder, dark fruit and fine spices, very good length; juicy and rich aftertaste; good complexity.

The 2009 Château Figeac is the normal blend of close to equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a beautiful wine with classic Figeac style, yet more reserved and backward than most in the vintage. Notes of forest floor, truffle, blackcurrants, cigar ash, and green tobacco emerge from this full-bodied, ripe yet pure and elegant Saint-Emilion, which has good acidity and plenty of length. The tannins are ripe yet firm, it’s nicely balanced, and it blossoms with time in the glass. Nevertheless, it needs another 4–5 years of cellaring to hit its prime, and it should keep for 2–3 decades.

Deep purple. Warm, malty bouquet, fine woods, cedar, plums, completely harmonious, underpinned by a ripe Cabernet note. On the palate, a wine dream: malt, cough drops, silky tannins, delicate, creamy fullness, very sublime through to the long, focused finish. If you’re upset that all the Premiers are so expensive, your best bet is to buy a few bottles of this en primeur – and in two years’ time at delivery you’ll receive one of the very best Figeac.

Deep purple, dense at the core, with garnet glints at the rim. Warm, malty bouquet, fine woods, cedar, plums, perfectly harmonious with an undertone of ripe Cabernet. On the palate, a veritable wine dream: malt, cough drops, silky tannins, and with that delicate, creamy fullness, very sublime through to the long, focused finish. If you’re upset that all the Premiers are so expensive, just buy a few bottles en primeur here and, upon delivery in two years, you’ll receive one of the very best Figeac. (19/20). 16: Tasted during a visit to Figeac. Warm, red-plummy bouquet showing a beautiful hint of dried fruits. On the palate, fleshy and rich, but not as brawny and loaded as other 2009s in Saint-Émilion. It has finesse and power. Not to be underestimated. There’s more to come—indeed, a lot. (19/20). 18: Without decanting, poured relatively cool. Aromas of butter, malt, blackberry, and caramel. The nose shows volume and warmth but also spice. On the palate, it moves with generous charm and creamy tannins. This will likely be one of the most sensual Figeac. It won’t take much longer for the wider public to understand.

Silky, dense, complex, finely opulent bouquet, plums, dried fruits, pralines, currants, mint. Sweet, velvety, creamy, opulent palate with silky fruit, powerful, multifaceted aromatics, creamy structure, long, plush finish. 19/20 2020 - 2045

Right up there with the best of the Right Bank, this opens with a punnet of blackberry and creamy damson fruits, all in balance, finessed but confident and juicy, cocoa bean, espresso, cumin and black pepper spice, hard to fault and extremely easy to recommend. Harvest September 22 to October 19, 40hl/ha yield, 100% new oak. As an aside, this was leading up to the 2012 classification, and wines like this explain why they were so confident that they were going to get the nod to Premier Grand Cru Classé A (in the end they had to wait 10 more years).

The 2009 Figeac is a blend of 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot. Deep garnet colored with a touch of brick, it sings of dried cherries, mulberries, and raspberry coulis with hints of dusty soil, black tea, rose oil, and sandalwood. Medium-bodied, it is elegant and lively in the mouth with maturing dried berry and exotic spices flavors and a powdery texture, finishing long and minerally.

Colorful, with a rather distinctive aroma of red fruits combined with complex notes of sandalwood and saffron. Gourmand and rounded, it shows real finesse that for now remains modestly expressed in a wine that has yet to fully reveal its potential.

A lovely, suave wine with roundness and charm, very spicy, a beautiful, taut mid-palate, and persistence, with a fine Cabernet holding the structure. It will age magnificently. An immense success from Figeac, worthy of the always splendid 1961.

Even with 2009’s warm profile, it remains the most complete and most harmonious of the “firsts” presented at the tasting. We find many similarities with 1989, tasted in the early 1990s. It shows the energy and balance of grapes born of truly great terroirs.

Logo on the cork: AL Beautiful red color, intense and deep. Very fruity nose of ripe character, refined and creamy when swirled. Rich on the attack, powerful on the mid-palate, particularly fruity, this wine with a noble taste wins over the palate with its long, sappy, finely grained aromatic finish. It's very good!

92-94 Barrel sample. This is relatively light, with freshness over the bright spicy acidity. The wine dances almost, with its wood element well integrated. A delicious final freshness, but certainly not weighty.