Château Figeac is one of the most important wine estates in St. Émilion. Its wines have had Premier Grand Cru Classé A status since 2022.
As is so often the case, today's fame was preceded by a rich history. There is evidence of a Roman-Gallic family called "Figeacus" as early as the second century. In the Middle Ages, leading families in the region owned the castle. In the 18th century, its wines were internationally recognised. This was followed by decline, continental blockade, phylloxera, mildew and changing owners.
The purchase of the château by André Villepigue in 1892 marked the beginning of the "modern era". In 1947, his great-grandson Thierry Manoncourt took over the château and rebuilt Figeac.
The composition of the Figeac cuvée is still characterised today - and was almost innovative at the time. It consists of around 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Cabernet Franc and 1/3 Merlot. This gives the wines a special freshness, balance and complexity, as well as enormous ageing potential.
Thierry Manoncourt was the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon on a significant scale on the Right Bank. The winemaker simply recognised the special potential of his terroir: in contrast to the rest of St. Émilion, there are gravel deposits up to several metres deep here, ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon.
The entire vineyard covers 54 hectares, of which around 1/4 is not planted with vines in order to protect nature and strengthen biodiversity. The vines are on average 35 years old, with the oldest dating back to 1921. The estate is still 100% family-owned and is currently managed by Marie-France Manoncourt (Thierry's wife) and two of her daughters.
images: Leif Carlsson, Mathieu Angelada, Virgine Ohrensstein
