Wine Advocate
The 2022 Figeac is one of the wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with a deep and complex bouquet of dark berries and cassis mingled with hints of violet, pencil lead, mint and cigar wrapper, it’s medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with striking intensity and sweetness of fruit married with unerring precision and energy, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Abundant but exquisitely filigreed tannins lend a sense of classicism and proportion to a wine that might otherwise be flamboyant. As I wrote from barrel, it’s the quintessential Figeac, testament to the late Thierry Manoncourt’s vision to plant such a large proportion of Cabernet, and on drought-resistant rootstocks. Such is the inherent complexity of Figeac’s terroirs that harvest took place sub-block by sub-block between September 1st and 25th. Could the result be a contemporary version of the estate’s magical 1949?
Wine Enthusiast
98-100 Barrel sample. This wine, with its 65% of the two Cabernets, is dense and ripe, with great acidity and freshness. It is a beautifully textured and rich wine. The wine's concentration is impressive.
100 Decanter
This wowed during Primeurs and has maintained its promise now in bottle. Gloriously alive with a beautifully expressive nose – dark fruit, liquorice and floral scents. The energy on the palate is incredible: this pulses with life, given the high acidity and juicy red berry fruit, but it also has a touch of creaminess alongside softly fleshy tannins that give weight and structure. There’s power and concentration, almost hidden beneath the cooling freshness and charming texture. Effortless winemaking on show, taking the best of the vintage’s ripeness and delivering a seriously sophisticated, endlessly moreish expression. I love it! A perfect wine.
