98/100 - Impossible to resist the 2009 Figeac, with its tight cassis fruits that widen and soften to creamy damson halfway through the palate, the whole thing still bursting with fresh acidities and life at 14 years old. Opulent but with definition and complexity. Liquorice, slate, smoked earth, grilled herbs, baking spices, so good. Harvest September 22 to October 19, 40hl/h yield, 100% new oak. Drink 2023 - 2048
Tasted June 2023 - Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Really fabulous on the nose, with sweet milk chocolate, flowers, currant and plum. Full-bodied, with incredible length. The tannins are so silky, but they are warm and cuddly. You just want to hug it. Powerful but so attractive. The blend is one third each of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon" Drink 2018 - 2040,

97/100 points, James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, April 2010

Grapes: A blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, 41ha vineyard on gravel outcrops with clay subsoil, 35 year old average vine age, 40hl/ha yield, hand picked, aged 15-18 months in 100% new oak barrels, 

Producer Tasting Note:

First to be appreciated is the colour, with deep shades of crimson that recall Tyrian purple. On the nose, the wildly appealing Merlot notes of its youth give way to striking depth that is balm to the soul of all Cabernet lovers. Its aromas reflect the lightness of the soil, expressed in a highly subtle, ethereal bouquet in which notes of peony, infused fruit and graphite demonstrate bright vitality. The two-thirds of Cabernet in the blend quite literally sculpt the body, strengthening the grip from the mid-palate and rolling out a long, taut and vibrant backbone with very pure mineral notes on the finish. The whole is perfectly enfolded in lush, satin tannins in the style of the highest of high fashion. With time, the wine develops flavours of tobacco-leaf with hints of black truffle, while retaining incomparable freshness of fruit.

Figeac is a truly extraordinary Bordeaux property for so many reasons. Located to the west of St Emilion - it is actually closer to Libourne than to the hilltop town which gives the appellation its name - it is one of the few large-scale, high quality properties in the area which remains in family ownership. Figeac is also planted unlike any other estate in the area with its (loose) proportions of a third each of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. These latter vines are perfectly suited to the patches of gravel soils which are spread across the property and since the estate moved to micro-vinification, allowing true plot-by-plot picking and production, the complexity of the terroir has been exhibited more clearly than ever before. The de Manoncourts have invested heavily and General Manager Frederic Faye continues to impress us with his skill, good humour and above all, his capacity to get the very best out of this unique piece of St Emilion terroir.