Everyone knew the vintages of Figeac that were brought, but two ringers were inserted to the flight and the bottles were blinded and randomised. My first time trying Figeac and the style is definitely in my wheelhouse. The common theme was restraint and elegance, but with plenty of structure and stuffing even in weaker vintages. No monolithic ripe and dark fruit here, I really love the old-school marginal ripeness that you don’t really get anymore with climate change. A friend who wasn’t at the tasting commented that it is more similar to a left-bank, and I can see why.
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2019 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Choisilles - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire
Brought this as an aperitif. First Chidaine and quite impressed. A true Chenin that didn’t try to be a Chardonnay, green fruits with a little honey and hint of RS. Lovely balance to the wine and very pleasurable in a youthful, approachable way. -
2009 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
I thought at first this was rather tannic and unready but others loved this from the get-go more than me. After an hour or so it was really singing with very elegant red fruit that was still primary and youthful. Lovely balance to the wine, rich but very much open for business at the moment. Went with 2005 as I thought 2009 right bank would be a caricature, but was pleasantly surprised. Unanimous winner on the night. -
1997 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Liked this a lot, thought this was the 2000 and vice-versa. This was how I imagined the 2000 should have been, slightly green but very much balanced and a saline, long finish. Beautiful restraint to the wine. My second on the night but I think others didn’t like this as much. -
2000 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
My contribution, thought this was the 1997. A little green and not as structured as I would have liked, lacked the balance of the 1997. Apparently there has been some bottle variation in this vintage. Also read that some believe that the unripe qualities will integrate but I find it hard to agree based on this showing. Would have thought Chinon on this if completely blinded. -
1999 Château Cheval Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Clearly an outlier, most of us managed to guess this as the non-Figeac. Thought this was a modernist St Emilion producer from the early 2000s. Others ranked this much higher than me but I am not a fan of soft, lush wines with mocha notes. The 1989 I tried last year had much more structure even if it had a similar texture to this, so I liked that a lot more. -
2007 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Rather alcoholic and plummy on first pour so I went 2009 for this, but someone got it right when he said this lost steam with air so it must have been a weaker vintage. -
1979 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Clearly the oldest wine of the flight. Was quite lovely in an old wine kind of way on opening, some herbaceous and asparagus notes but wasn’t too overbearing. Faded with air. -
2005 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Interesting that most people guessed this as a weak or green vintage. Thin and hollow with tannins at first, but apparently this got better after a few hours but I didn’t have a chance to properly revisit this unfortunately. -
1998 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Most obvious oak and alcohol, a modernist wine but with the green notes I thought this was a more modern Figeac so went 2007 on this. When I revisited this, the clear difference was from the finish as it wasn’t as focused and long as the Figeacs. -
1976 Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Nice when it was popped and poured, elegant red fruits with a saline finish but faded with air and lost its fruit. -
1998 Château Rocher Bellevue Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Guessed late 90s modernist right bank, mocha overtones and dark fruit. Not much of interest here. -
2016 Tua Rita Sese Passito di Pantelleria - Italy, Sicily, Pantelleria
Got this right as a Passito since it was clearly not a German or French sweet. Very dark in colour, lots of brown sugar and peaches. Lacking acidity.
