2018 Figeac

The 2018 Figeac is simply magnificent. A regal, soaring wine with tremendous vertical lift and nuance, the 2018 is marvelously complete from the very first taste. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. Medium in body and refined, the 2018 is vibrant, with fine tannins and, frankly, quite a bit more freshness than I expected to see given the very dry, sunny summer. Rose petal, mint, lavender and spice add nuance to a core of red/purplish fruit. Harvest started on September 17 and finished on October 12. Yields were 39 hectoliters per hectare, just shy of the historical average of 42/32. While mildew pressure was an issue, it was the dry October winds and their dehydrating effect on the last Cabernets that impacted yields most. Like so many of his colleagues, Technical Director Frederic Faye and his team opted for gentler vinifications with no SO2 at crush, lower temperatures in fermentation and smaller pumpovers. The 2018 Figeac is brilliant. That's all there is to it. The blend is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc. Tasted three times.

Reminiscent of the 2016 with its incredible purity and elegance, the 2018 Château Figeac offers a terrific perfume of crème de cassis, redcurrants, dried earth, tobacco, lead pencil, spring flowers, and exotic spice-driven nuances. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it's flawlessly balanced, has silky, polished tannins, and a stunning sense of purity. It doesn't have the sexiness of the 2015, but it's very much in the style of the 2018 vintage with its pure, elegant, haut couture-like style. And it doesn't show a hint of its 100% new oak élevage. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 20-30 years. It's not the biggest or richest Saint- Emilion, yet the balance, finesse, and elegance are something to behold. I think it's going to check in behind the 2015 (and maybe the 2019) when all is said and done, but it's unquestionably one of the greatest Figeac in the past 20-30 years. The blend is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, raised all in new oak. Another big “Bravo” to the talented director, Frédéric Faye!