92-93pts James Suckling
Very crunchy and salty with almost a hint of white pepper. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh finish. Bright. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc.
90-92pts Vinous
The 2022 Cap de Faugères has a sweet, quite candied bouquet with dark cherries and violet scents, perhaps just missing a degree of delineation. It does improve in the glass. The palate is medium bodied with slightly coarse tannins. Tea leaves infuse the black fruit with an off-dry, more classically styled finish. Appreciating the freshness here. - Neal Martin
89-91pts Vinous
The 2022 Cap de Faugères is a very pleasant Cotes de Castillon. Succulent red/purplish fruit, lavender, menthol, rose petal and sweet spice are pushed forward in this attractive, mid-weight offering from Silvio Denz. Pretty floral top notes lift the finish. - Antonio Galloni
91pts Jane Anson
Plenty of estate signature, high tannins met equally by high freshness, this has enjoyable balance, muscular with plenty of damson and plum puree, has impact but carries it off.
History
Château Cap de Faugères is a wine estate comprising 46 hectares (114 acres) of the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation in the village of Sainte-Colombe. Annually, it produces approximately 100,000 bottles of its flagship wine, a Merlot-based Bordeaux red blend with smaller quantities of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
In 1823, the Esquissaud family purchased three Faugères estates: Châteaux Cap de Faugères, Faugères and Péby Faugères. Pierre-Bernard Guisez took control of the family business in 1987 and managed the three estates up until 2005 when they were acquired by Silvio Denz, a perfume designer and European winery owner. He has since expanded the Château Cap de Faugères portfolio in collaboration with consultant oenologist, Michel Rolland.
Merlot reigns supreme at Cap de Faugères, laying claim to 85 percent of the vineyards, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon making up the remaining 15 percent. These vines are on average 30 years old, and are cultivated using sustainable viticultural methods.
Vinification at Château Cap de Faugères is carried out using a gravity flow system. Prior to fermentation, the grapes are cold-soaked and then fermented in a mixture of temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and wooden vats. Following fermentation, the wines are aged in oak barrels for 12-14 months.
