Château-Figeac has unveiled the 2022 vintage the first vintage since its elevation to Premier Grand Cru Classé A status two years ago db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay was one of the lucky few invited to the release of the 2022 vintage in Paris last week It is now over two years since new of Château-Figeac’s promotion was announced. But what was true then remains true today. As I noted at the time of the unveiling of the new classification in September 2022, there was no doubt that Figeac warranted its upgrade the question of its promotion became the litmus test of the credibility of a competitive and controversial system of classification for Saint-Émilion (in which dramas have had the unfortunate habit of spilling over in the courtroom) Figeac is rightly promoted and an until recently rather unfamiliar calmness seems to have descended on the appellation Over two years on we are better placed to set Figeac’s promotion within its proper historic context is based on the evaluation of 15 vintages (2005 to 2019 inclusive) general secretary and co-owner of Figeac explained to db most of our work has focused on Figeac’s unique ‘identity’ while cultivating a genuine link with its followers Giving ourselves the means to better understand it so that we can adapt our growing and oenological methods as part of our ongoing 360° agroecological vision a vat room that matches the precision achieved in the vineyard” The promotion is the reward for and the culmination of that work and, as such, a symbolic milestone. It seems entirely appropriate that the first vintage to be adorned with the epithet is 2022 – as complete a vintage of Figeac as I have ever tasted “embodies the soul and authenticity of the estate” a vintage referred to by Blandine de Brieur Manoncourt as ‘quintessentially Figeac’ The subtle changes to the chateau’s label are no less quintessentially Figeac with the aim being to symbolize continuity and respect for the values that have defined Château Figeac’s history “the classification represents a step rather than an end a recognition of Figeac’s already established identity It encourages us to continue with the same commitment to excellence and a great sense of responsibility” Figeac 2022 (St Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé A; 29% Merlot; 31% Cabernet Franc; 40% Cabernet Sauvignon; pH 3.7; 14.5% alcohol; tasted at La Réserve in Paris on the occasion of the unveiling of the new label) the culmination of well over a century of work and the strongest vintage of Figeac that I think I have ever tasted As it was when first tasted en primeur this is truly remarkable and truly resplendent -a wine that rises to the occasion charming and ethereal with incredible depth plush and sinuous of textures and a sheer purity and precision unmatched I think in the property’s august history perhaps rather more so than it was en primeur graphite and a hint of cedar and also nutmeg and curry leaf The quality of the tannins is truly exceptional and that gives this a dynamism and energy on the mid-palate that is truly breath-taking with the subtle grip of the tannins seemingly unleashing vortices of sapid juicy freshness that recharge the palate and drive the wine on to an asymptotic finish on a long distant horizon A wine to which it is difficult not to react emotionally We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again Figeac Aero SA ( (FR:FGA) ) has shared an update Figeac Aero SA has announced the composition of its share capital as of February 28 with 42,493,624 shares and 76,123,183 theoretical voting rights This announcement is significant for stakeholders as it provides insights into the company’s shareholder structure and voting power which could impact future corporate decisions and investor relations The FIGEAC AÉRO Group is a key partner for major aerospace manufacturers specializing in the production of structural parts in light alloys and hard metals The company operates internationally with a presence in France and reported an annual revenue of €397.2 million as of March 31 Technical Sentiment Consensus Rating: Sell See more insights into FGA stock on TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page Disclaimer & Disclosure Report an Issue Figeac Aero SA ( (FR:FGA) ) has shared an update Disclaimer & Disclosure Report an Issue Thierry Dubois has specialized in aerospace journalism since 1997 An engineer in fluid dynamics from Toulouse-based Enseeiht His expertise extends to all things technology in Europe Thierry is also the editor-in-chief of Aviation Week’s ShowNews Figeac Aero Signs Three Contracts For Airbus A320 Metal Parts is published in Aviation Daily an Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN) Market Briefing and is included with your AWIN membership Already a member of AWIN or subscribe to Aviation Daily through your company? 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Learn how to access the market intelligence and data you need to stay abreast of what's happening in the air transport community insight and analysis from our award-winning editors delivered to your inbox daily Château Figeac 2023 has been released more than 40% below the debut offer for the 2022 vintage debut last year making it one of the biggest discounts in a Bordeaux 2023 en primeur campaign that has taken place amid challenging market conditions Other highly prized wines released in the past 24 hours include Château Montrose Château La Conseillante and Château Beauséjour giving consumers plenty to ponder in the final days of the campaign the 2022 vintage was relatively expensive on release it was the first release after Figeac’s promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the revised St-Émilion Classification Although it remains too soon to draw conclusions about sales some early analysis has suggested a muted overall response to the campaign despite several success stories among top-rated wines Decanter Premium members can read more analysis below Monday - Friday 9am-12pm / 2pm-6pm GMT + 1 All financial news and data tailored to specific country editions Château Figeac, which was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the 2022 revision of the Saint-Émilion Classification has released the 2023 vintage at a 40.5% discount on the 2022’s opening price The new vintage is being offered at €150 per bottle ex-négociant and to the international trade for £1,788 per case of 12 – a decrease of 41.1% on the 2022’s opening price of £3,036 a case Also released today was Château La Conseillante 2023 – described by William Kelley as “one of the great wines of the vintage” out at €150 per bottle ex-négociant It is also available to the international trade at £1,788 per case of 12 a 32.6% reduction on the 2022’s opening price of £2,652 – which represents fair value from the Pomerol estate for a high scoring vintage Yesterday saw the release of Château Montrose 2023 with Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) 2023 also offering a modest 10% discount on the 2022 opening price This wine however was one one of the two greatest wines from Saint-Émilion this vintage according to db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay who said it “transcended the challenges of the vintages and shattered each and every glass ceiling with which we might associate those challenges” We will use the word which Blandine de Brier Manoncourt prefers Brier Manoncourt is one of the four daughters of Thierry Manoncourt the owner of Château Figeac until his death in 2010 the rotund and jolly husband of one of those daughters had been running the estate since 1988 and had been expected to take over permanently And then, in March 2013, he was gone. Marie-France announced that Frédéric Faye, who had already been at Figeac for some years The reaction in the trade ranged from shock to horror Figeac had long been renowned for its elegance and finesse together with his declaration that his aim was to get Figeac promoted from Premier Grand Cru Classé B raised the spectre of massive ripeness and extraction The family stayed tight-lipped while speculation swirled: they would sell the château, some said; they would sack Rolland; LVMH would buy it; they would rip out the Cabernet Sauvignon; it would end up tasting like every other Saint-Émilion But Figeac was indeed promoted to 1er GCC A in the 2022 reclassification Marie-France and Frédéric rushed down to the cellar and shouted "Yes!" Then they dashed off to tell the vineyard team It was the culmination of a great deal of work The point being that it had been achieved without Figeac selling its soul Recent vintages have displayed all that Figeac finesse Because while Figeac was loved in the past which is what had spurred the rumors of a sale; because family companies – and Figeac is 100 percent Manoncourt-owned – don't always agree when millions of euros are involved Some of the work had already started at the time of the change examined soil and subsoil and redrew the plots of vines accordingly And remember that this is an unusual terroir for Saint-Émilion Thierry would ensure that every visitor had seen his "petits croupes de graves" the gravel banks that are rare in these parts and there are three hills of gravel over blue clay with between one metre and six metres of gravel "We saw it all when we dug down 17m for the new facilities," she says which was what prompted Thierry to plant Cabernet Sauvignon in the first place there is clay in the east of the estate and more sand and iron in the west "The main work of the last ten years has been around Figeac's identity," says Blandine What can we do to understand this and make it better Michel Rolland was not hired to make a Rolland wine; he was hired to help us He doesn't make the wine; he is an advisor "When he arrived he started talking of the next improvements in the vineyards and in winemaking but the vineyard is 41ha; the rest is forest or grazing and the forest and the pasture keeps it cooler in hot summers." Those 41 ha are now divided into 32 plots and 40 parcels "We have doubled the number of [blending components]" "We could make choices exactly adapted to each solution," says Frédéric; "if we pick the top of the hill and the bottom of the hill separately we don't want to mix them in the tank And we have discovered some subplots which are fantastic for blending." They're mostly organic – 100 percent so for the soil and 80-90 percent for the vines And there is the problem of copper: when they examined their soil they found they were looking at 30 or 40 years of copper sulphate But there are things you can plant which extract copper from the soil; and if you roll your ground cover rather than cutting it you can maintain more humidity in the soil The copper-extracting plants include some varieties of fescue grass and some varieties of rumex But if you plant these to extract copper you have to cut them and take away the cuttings; as always energy-efficient and uses gravity rather than pumps in vinification and maturation For fermentation there are eight oak vats and 42 truncated-cone steel vats designed specifically for the right level of compaction of the cap and of extraction: in the wooden tanks they submerge the cap with a wooden grill "as we used to do for more than 130 years" "It's more infusion than extraction with pumping over Thanks to that we increase the minerality of Figeac." Then he adds but I'm not allowed to give more information and details on the tanks: trade secrets." "Research on yeast will start one day at Figeac," says Frédéric but after many discussions with universities and companies dedicated to yeast for wine we concluded that 95 percent of the yeasts from vineyards are already known by universities and companies all over the world We preferred selecting lactic bacteria in our old cellar before we destroyed it and now we use them for our malolactic fermentation "Just remember that no estate can argue that they have their own unique yeast in their vineyard Every year yeasts change in vineyards… At Figeac we want a yeast that is very efficient and that does not give taste to our wine In 2015 they stopped using sulfites except after fermentation: "They interact with aromas and textures," says Frédéric Perhaps that is the reason for the beautiful texture one sees now: the wine is as silky as the Burgundy of your dreams. Petit Figeac, the second wine, which used to be called La Grange Neuve de Figeac is floral and precise; it is blended at the same time as the grand vin "Cabernet Franc can make Cabernet Sauvignon dry. We need five sessions of three hours each to blend the wine. You can make one plus one equal one, or ten." What does each bring to the blend? Merlot gives generosity and fruit, obviously, and you see it at the beginning of the palate. "Cabernet Franc is like an arrow," says Frédéric; "it gives tension and elegance in the mid-palate. And then on the finish you get Cabernet Sauvignon, and the texture it brings. That's a quick summary," he adds, in case you thought that was all there was to it. Figeac's soul is intact. "I would love to put the terroir in the bottle," says Frédéric. "That's my job." Our latest update from the Bordeaux En Primeur front line features dry and sweet whites and a curious red Graves vintage. The latest sales figures are bad news for producers hoping high-end wines will get them through these tough economic times. It's all about music as much as wine as we round up this week's news from the wine world. We conclude our search for the world's most sought-after wines with our overall top 10. Joe Biden might not be in the White House any more, but his influence is still being felt at one crucial committee. The science keep piling up: wine is good for your health, no matter what the temperance lobby says. Bordeaux En Primeur's Uncertain Start The En Primeur campaign for the 2024 Bordeaux wines has taken its first, faltering steps. Ever wished you could hypnotize your friends into drinking better wine? Now you can. As traditional wine markets tighten and contract, perhaps it's time to look at a previously overlooked wine market. For one Spanish producer, the death of Pope Francis was more than just another world leader's passing. 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All rights reserved St-Emilion’s Wine Council announced its eagerly-anticipated ranking this afternoon bringing a decade of disputes and court battles to an end The classification awards Premier Grand Cru Classé A status to just two producers while it also recognises 12 Premier Grands Crus Classés (B) and 71 Grands Crus Classés These rankings can cause a winery’s value to soar – they have been likened to the Michelin guide for restaurants – so winemakers across the region awaited the results with bated breath today However, many were left disappointed, as Château Figeac was the only producer to join Château Pavie in the top tier of the 2022 classification which has been owned by the same family since 1892 said the result rewarded ‘sustained work over many years the excellent wines we produce each vintage and our singularity within St-Emilion and Bordeaux’ The family said it was the dream of owner Thierry Manoncourt said: ‘We welcome this decision with pride and gratitude We will continue to bring happiness to lovers of great wines.’ Thierry’s daughter and president of Château Figeac added: ‘For our family and the Château Figeac team this distinction is a recognition of the work accomplished over several decades ‘It is a commitment just as much to our devotees as to the St-Emilion appellation or the INAO [the Institut national de l’origine et de la quality which supports the process] and constitutes a formidable incentive to continue our work in the spirit of rigour and excellence.’ Château Figeac’s average market price has risen by 47% in the past three years It said the best-performing vintages in the past year have been 2013 Pavie and Ausone – the four Premier Grand Cru Classé A estates from the 2012 St-Emilion Classification – have been the most traded St-Emilion wines on Liv-ex so far in 2022 but Figeac and Canon were next on the list Figeac was tipped to be promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A at this year’s classification and that caused sales to spike before the announcement chief executive of Bordeaux Index’s trading platform said: ‘Figeac really benefited from the dual factors of the potential classification upgrade and the ongoing excellent quality of recent vintages having taken the wine’s reputation in the market to another level.’ The St-Emilion classification is updated every 10 years it assigned Premier Grand Cru Classé A status to four châteaux – Angélus However, Angélus, Ausone and Cheval Blanc decided to withdraw from the 2022 classification Cheval Blanc claimed it noticed ‘a profound change in the philosophy of the classification’ in 2012 citing ‘marketing drift such as the importance of product placement and said they no longer wanted to be considered the esteemed producers complained that marketing – placing a bottle in a Hollywood film bringing in a renowned architect to design the cellar and so on – has become as important in the classification as how the wines taste We have witnessed various legal wranglings over the past decade and Château Angélus co-owner Hubert de Boüard was fined €60,000 after a court decided he illegally manipulated the system in 2012 In June, the historic Château La Gaffelière – ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé B – dealt a fresh blow to the 2022 St-Emilion classification system by joining the exodus from this year’s ranking It said that ‘we no longer recognise ourselves in this system’ and that ‘now is the time to bow out’ experts in the region suggested that this year’s classification had more entries than ever before The Classification Commission revealed that it tasked a panel of 43 experts with tasting 1,343 samples over a four-month period before providing the results The testing organisation Bureau Veritas Certification France supported the process St-Emilion’s Wine Council insisted that the classification has been ‘loyal to its principles and fundamentally stable since 1955 and thus offers wine drinkers all over the world a guarantee of lasting exceptional quality’ ‘We would like to congratulate all the properties that feature in this new classification of St-Emilion wines and the people because this is truly an outstanding human adventure that relies on teamwork,’ said Jean-François Galhaud ‘Without a terroir and committed women and men There is no doubt that this new classification will continue to lend prominence to the name of St-Emilion abroad.’ The 12 Premier Grands Crus Classés (B) are: France's national appellations body, the INAO, released the long-awaited 2022 Saint-Émilion classification yesterday, promoting the much-loved Château Figeac to Premier Grand Cru Classé A status The INAO (l'Institut National des Appellations d'Origine et de la Qualité) published the new classification amid little noise, establishing 14 Premiers Grands Crus Classés, of which two estates – Figeac and Pavie – claim the top spot of Premiers Grands Crus Classé A (there were four As in the 2012 iteration of the classification) The remaining estates classed simply as Grands Crus Classés number 71 Other than Figeac's promotion, there were few shocks in the rankings. As expected (and as had been widely reported in the last 14 months), Châteaux Angélus, Ausone, Cheval Blanc (all three formerly Premiers Grands Crus Classés A) and La Gaffelière (a Premier Grand Cru Classé) were absent Ausone and Cheval Blanc had announced their withdrawal (alongside stablemates Château Quinaut l'Enclos and La Clotte) in July 2021 while Angélus had walked in January this year Château La Gaffelière had dropped out at the last minute in June prompting speculation the estate had been earmarked for demotion Perhaps responding to criticism by the departing estates that the classification process had moved away from the fundamental qualities of the wines produced by the estates themselves the President of the Saint-Émilion wine council underlined the importance of wine quality in the assessment "This [...] classification takes into account a multitude of details which but the sum of which makes it possible to achieve an excellence that a classification must guarantee," said Galhaud in introducing the classification it's still the quality of the wine over time which marks the grandeur and the reputation of a vineyard." More light was shed on the process with the percentage of marks for each estate broken down as follows: Other promotions to the list of Grands Crus Classés (not to be confused with the much broader Saint-Émilion Grand Cru title) in 2022 include Château Badette were dropped from the rankings in 2012 only to reappear this time around Corbin Michotte was one of three estates who famously took the Saint-Émilion classification process (via the INAO and the regional wine council) to court over the demotion Demotions include Château L’Arrosée (bought buy Dillon/Château Quintus in 2013) Château Grand-Pontet (bought buy Dillon/Château Quintus in 2021) Château Pavie-Decesse and Château Tertre Daugay (although this has since become Château Quintus through a change in ownership and was unlikely to have retained its position) It is understood the likes of Les Grandes Murailles will now form part of Clos Fourtet as the owner of the latter bought Les Grandes Murailles from the Reiffers family last year while Château Pavie-Decesse has reportedly been subsumed into the Château Pavie holdings. See the full list below (or view our St-Émilion classification page to see additions/demotions): Château BEAU-SEJOUR BECOTChâteau BEAUSEJOUR HERITIERS DUFFAU LAGARROSSEChâteau BELAIR MONANGEChâteau CANONChâteau CANON LA GAFFELIEREChâteau FIGEAC (A)Château LARCIS DUCASSEChâteau PAVIE (A)Château PAVIE MACQUINChâteau TROPLONG MONDOTChâteau TROTTEVIEILLEChâteau VALANDRAUDCLOS FOURTETLA MONDOTTE Château BADETTEChâteau BALESTARD LA TONNELLEChâteau BARDE-HAUTChâteau BELLEFONT-BELCIERChâteau BELLEVUEChâteau BERLIQUETChâteau BOUTISSEChâteau CADET-BONChâteau CAP DE MOURLINChâteau CHAUVINChâteau CLOS DE SARPEChâteau CORBINChâteau CORBIN MICHOTTEChâteau COTE DE BALEAUChâteau CROIX DE LABRIEChâteau DASSAULTChâteau DE FERRANDChâteau DE PRESSACChâteau DESTIEUXChâteau FAUGERESChâteau FLEUR CARDINALEChâteau FOMBRAUGEChâteau FONPLEGADEChâteau FONROQUE Château FRANC MAYNEChâteau GRAND CORBINChâteau GRAND CORBIN-DESPAGNEChâteau GRAND MAYNEChâteau GUADETChâteau HAUT-SARPEChâteau JEAN FAUREChâteau LA COMMANDERIEChâteau LA CONFESSIONChâteau LA COUSPAUDEChâteau LA CROIZILLEChâteau LA DOMINIQUEChâteau LA FLEUR MORANGEChâteau LA MARZELLEChâteau LA SERREChâteau LA TOUR FIGEACChâteau LANIOTEChâteau LARMANDEChâteau LAROQUEChâteau LAROZEChâteau LE CHATELETChâteau LE PRIEUREChâteau MANGOTChâteau MONBOUSQUET Château MONTLABERTChâteau MONTLISSEChâteau MOULIN DU CADETChâteau PEBY FAUGERESChâteau PETIT FAURIE DE SOUTARDChâteau RIPEAUChâteau ROCHEBELLEChâteau ROL VALENTINChâteau SAINT-GEORGES (COTE PAVIE)Château SANSONNETChâteau SOUTARDChâteau TOUR BALADOZChâteau TOUR SAINT CHRISTOPHEChâteau VILLEMAURINEChâteau YON-FIGEACCLOS BADON THUNEVINCLOS DE L'ORATOIRECLOS DES JACOBINSCLOS DUBREUILCLOS SAINT-JULIENCLOS SAINT-MARTINCOUVENT DES JACOBINSLASSEGUE Our latest update from the Bordeaux En Primeur front line features dry and sweet whites and a curious red Graves vintage The latest sales figures are bad news for producers hoping high-end wines will get them through these tough economic times It's all about music as much as wine as we round up this week's news from the wine world We conclude our search for the world's most sought-after wines with our overall top 10 Joe Biden might not be in the White House any more but his influence is still being felt at one crucial committee The science keep piling up: wine is good for your health The En Primeur campaign for the 2024 Bordeaux wines has taken its first Ever wished you could hypnotize your friends into drinking better wine As traditional wine markets tighten and contract perhaps it's time to look at a previously overlooked wine market the death of Pope Francis was more than just another world leader's passing Daily Memo: Supplier Figeac Aero Gradually Ramps Up Production is published in Aviation Daily Château Figeac is a highly rated and well regarded wine estate in the Saint-Émilion appellation of Bordeaux on the so-called right bank of the Dordogne river in the northeast of the region Figeac's eponymous flagship wine (or "grand vin" as is often called) is known for its rich nose and for its aging potential in better vintages Figeac was rated as Premier Grand Cru Classé (B) in the 1955 Saint-Émilion Classification – a status it retained through every subsequent iteration of the classification until 2022 when it was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) The wine is widely considered to have markedly improved since World War II under the ownership of Thierry Manoncourt becoming one of the most sought-after Right Bank Bordeaux reds There has been an estate on the site since Roman times, although viticulture only grew significantly following the middle ages. By the 18th Century the vineyard was much larger until sections were sold off in the 19th Century, including those that expanded Cheval Blanc in 1832 Numerous properties attest to this dispersal with a number of neighboring châteaux containing an appended "Figeac" to their titles, including the likes of Yon Figeac and La Tour du Pin Figeac The current Château Figeac vineyard is, nevertheless, among the largest in Saint-Émilion at 40 hectares (99 acres) and the estate covers a total of 54 hectares (133 acres). There are three gravel outcrops, which explains the unusually high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in a typical bottle of Figeac They each account for around 35 percent of the blend. Merlot Château Figeac was one of the first Bordeaux estates to introduce a second wine named after a particular plot in the estate made from various selections of vines across the wider estate The grapes are vinified in a variety of small vessels open-topped wooden vats or stainless steel tanks Each corresponds to specific lots in the vineyard The grand vin is aged in 100-percent new oak barrels while Petit-Figeac is typically aged is for 15 to 18 months in oak barrels Approximately 100,000 bottles of the grand vin are produced annually Management of the estate is overseen by Thierry Manoncourt's daughters Blandine de Brier Manoncourt and Hortense Idoine Manoncourt as well longstanding technical director Frédéric Faye Figeac 2022 was released today (22 June) at €252 per bottle ex-négociant which represents a 55% jump on the release price of the 2021 vintage in last year’s Bordeaux en primeur campaign Figeac 2022 was offered in the UK at £3,036 per case (12x75cl in bond) That’s a notable price jump, even in a Bordeaux 2022 en primeur campaign that has largely pitched wines as among the most expensive in recent years Decanter’s Georgie Hindle rated Figeac 2022 at 98 points en primeur adding it is a potential 100-point wine in-the-making Look out for a possible upgrade once the wine is re-tasted in-bottle ‘An incredibly impressive wine in 2022 [that is] shaping up to be the wine of the vintage,’ Hindle wrote ‘It seems to defy the hot and dry conditions in every way [and] delivers such confidence and charm it makes it hard to resist.’ Liv-ex said the volume of wine released was down 20% on last year Whilst the price is higher than some merchants expected market confidence in Figeac has also been particularly buoyant following a run of high-quality vintages Prices have risen on the secondary market, and Figeac was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A status in the new St-Emilion Classification last year ‘This [2022] wine represents an important moment in history for the estate and they couldn’t have done a better job.’ Château Canon 2022 was another major release from St-Emilion this week around 33% up on the 2021-vintage en primeur release At £1,440 per case (12x75cl in bond) in the UK Liv-ex said the 2022 vintage was one of the best value Canon wines on the market UK merchant Farr Vintners said Canon 2022 was ‘massively oversubscribed and has sold out’ Hindle rated Canon 2022 at 98 points ‘A superb Canon in 2022,’ she wrote describing it as ‘extremely polished and charming’ Canon has also seen strong market momentum in recent years Analyst group Wine Lister said high-scoring Canon 2020 has risen in price by 85% since release indicated ‘potentially strong investment potential for the even higher-scoring 2022 vintage’ Pomerol’s La Conseillante 2022 is another potential 100-point wine released this week utterly fabulous and one of my favourites,’ wrote Hindle giving it 98 points en primeur with a potential upgrade on the cards It debuted at €222 per bottle ex-négociant up 42% on last year’s 2021-vintage release price It was offered in the UK at £2,652 (12x75cl in bond) This week has also seen the other three first growths joining Lafite on the market Mouton, Haut-Brion and Margaux 2022 were all released at €516 per bottle ex-négociant, up nearly 23% on the estates’ 2021-vintage debut pricng, said Liv-ex In the UK, Haut-Brion 2022 was £6,180 per case, Margaux 2022 was £6,192 and Mouton Rothschild 2022 was £6,216 (12x75cl in bond) Fellow first growth Château Latour no longer releases its wine en primeur Margaux 2022’s opening price was broadly in-line with the 2020 and 2019 vintages, showed Liv-ex data. Château Margaux 2015 is significantly more expensive than all other recent vintages. It received high ratings, and was also the final vintage of the estate’s late managing director Paul Pontallier Pricing is always a talking point at Bordeaux en primeur, but releases this year have been at the higher end of some merchants’ forecasts – and above forecasts in some cases, as previously reported yet the wines are also entering a sluggish fine wine market ‘There seems to be a disconnect between the prices set by châteaux who are increasingly relying on the subset of buyers who will take their allocation regardless of price The promotion of Château Figeac to Premier Grand Cru Classé A surprised no one — it was a long time coming and is richly merited However the Figeac team tells db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay it was “not a given” The promotion of Château Figeac to Premier Grand Cru Classé A should have surprised no-one It has been a long time coming and is richly merited But that is in the nature of the Saint Émilion classification are promoted a full classificatory cycle after most commentators think they warrant it That is because the commentators invariably base their evaluations on a sense of the property forged in the tasting room This inevitably privileges the most recent vintages gauges performance over a full 15 year period – and with a three vintage time-lag Figeac’s promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in 2022 was based on a tasting of the vintages 2005 to 2019 It makes sense for the classification to be a slow moving creature seen to be – authoritative it needs to display a certain conservatism But the wait for recognition can seem endless – as the proprietors of Bélair-Monange Canon and Troplong Mondot are all acutely aware as the evidence of recent vintages certainly suggests it might There is no doubt that Figeac warrants its upgrade the question of its promotion became the litmus test of the credibility of a competitive system of classification for Saint Émilion that has never been uncontroversial and whose recent dramas have acquired the unfortunate habit of spilling over into the courtroom It has passed that test and Figeac now rightly joins Pavie at the head of the classification a certain unfamiliar serenity seems finally to have descended on the appellation in Saint Émilion external appearances can be deceptive and one might be forgiven for imagining that the protagonists are simply gathering their strength for future battles to come I took the opportunity of the (at least apparent) calm to visit Figeac recently finding a property enthused and energised by the reclassification but otherwise unchanged by it tirelessly and very simply focused on the daily tasks of trying to ensure that the best vintage is the next one I was also lucky enough taste a number of recent and not so recent vintages (with full tasting notes below) and talk to general secretary and co-manager Blandine de Brier-Manoncourt and managing director the appellation and Figeac’s place within it today and in the years to come (this interview will appear in the December issue of The Drinks Business) “the recognition of Château-Figeac’s very specific terroir and the reward for a long-term vision and work” and the many messages of good will and support received by the team since it’s promotion “has been fabulous and heart-warming” “Promotion in the St Emilion classification – above all to Premier GCC A – is not a simple reward for the quality of a handful of recent vintages,” she explained it is the last 15 vintages that were tasted and judged And a plethora of information was also provided from vine-growing methods to pricing and commercial data as well as environmental measures and R&D That makes it all the more rewarding for the family and the entire team at Figeac and we are now recognized for that collective achievement.” And while the classification was very welcome and “a great honour,” de Brier-Manoncourt argues that it is “far from the end goal for the estate for whom 2022 marked the 130th year at Chateau Figeac it is an invitation to continue to work as we always have – with calm determination and dynamism,” she said “Our fundamental modus operandi is constant improvement and renewal each aimed at preserving what is special about our wines while also moving forward.” 2021 year saw the completion of its impressive new gravity-fed winery with the 2022 vintage the first to be vinified in the new cellar but the team has a pipeline of project and dedicated R&D Read Colin’s interview with general secretary and co-manager of Chateau Figeac Blandine de Brier-Manoncourt and managing director Frédéric Faye in the upcoming issue of The Drinks Business 2022: the first vintage designated Premier Grand Cru Classé A and in the words of Hortense Idoine Manoncourt and Blandine de Brier Manoncourt a ‘quintessential Figeac’ It is also the 130th anniversary of the Manoncourt’s acquisition of Figeac in 1892 1954: the year of the first competitive classification of the wines of St Emilion Figeac was designated Premier Grand Cru Classé with effect from the 1955 vintage 1945: the year of Thierry Manoncourt’s typically pioneering decision to make a second wine This was initially called La Grange Neuve de Figeac but was renamed in 2012 Petit Figeac (with Figeac having acquired the neighbouring Chateau Petit Figeac – and with it the right to use the name for the second wine – in 2002) Around 40,000 bottles are produced each year in comparison to the 120,000 bottles of the grand vin 1921: the year from which the oldest vines in the vineyard now date Over a third of the vineyard has been replanted during the last decade with the effect that the average age of the vines is now around 35 years The most recent replanting is informed by a fully comprehensive study of soil climate and vegetation at the micro-parcel level conducted by a team from l’Université de Dijon in 2018 All 54 hectares of the estate are classified Premier Grand Cru Classé A only 41 hectares (around 275,000 individual plants) are under vine Merlot is in the minority (at around 30 per cent of the planting) with significant volumes of Cabernet Sauvignon alongside the Cabernet Franc Biodiversity is crucial to Figeac’s philosophy as it is to the identity of the wine It is preserved in the estate above all through the maintenance of 13 additional hectares Figeac thus practices a long-standing form of natural agroecology comprised as it is of a patchwork of plots grouped around three Gunzian gravel outcrops of flint and quartz over a blue clay subsoil Its diversity of micro-climates are influenced by landscape proximity to vegetation and the stream running through the heart of the estate and provide the perfect terroir for all three of the varietals planted in the vineyard – Cabernet Franc Completed in 2021 and designed by the Bordeaux architects A3A Figeac’s new winery has been so sensitively envisaged that its 5000 square metre surface area comprising two underground levels and quadrupling the working space for the winemaking team feels so timeless that is as if it has always been there It blends elegantly into the landscape and has a Tardis-like presence – massive internally and yet seamlessly integrated into the château buildings and the vineyard from the outside As much a technical triumph as an architectural model the new vat room give to the wine-making team an added precision – with intra-parcel vinification and around a 40 per cent increase in the number of separately vinified lots from which the grand vin is assembled Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure and ageing potential It brings a characteristic graphite minerality mint and blackcurrant notes to the final blend so often the pioneer and the first to plant it in significant quantities in St Emilion refinement and Figeac’s delicate signature florality It is characterised at Figeac by notes of cherry smoothness and a certain voluptuous quality above all to the mid-palate It also reinforces the floral complexity of Figeac imparting notes of peony and highlighting the graphite minerality of the terroir Figeac 2021 (Saint Émilion; 40% Cabernet Sauvignon; 31% Cabernet Franc; 29% Merlot; pH 3.65; 13% alcohol; tasted just before bottling at the property in late June 2023) Cracked black peppercorns and that signature graphite of Figeac A lovely wild floral element – hedgerow spring flowers bright and dynamic with a lovely forward momentum It is tight and compact but without the density of the greatest of recent vintages the mid-palate impressively tight and compact reinforcing the impression of great complexity from the nose There is (perhaps unsurprisingly given its composition) something almost Médocain about it; we could almost be in some of the more hallowed parts of Pauillac Don’t underrate this vintage and above all this wine The first vintage to be made entirely in the new wine-making facility and one can sense already the slight gain in detail and precision Figeac 2020 (Saint Émilion; 37% Merlot; 32% Cabernet Franc; 31% Cabernet Sauvignon; aged in new French oak barrels for around 16 months; a final yield of 37 hl/ha though the Cabernet Sauvignon yielded only 30 hl/ha; pH 3.7; 13.9% alcohol; tasted at the property in late June 2023) this has rather classical notes of leather and graphite a touch of both cedar and acacia and a hint of clove dried rose petals and garrigue herbs – very redolent of the vintage lively and engaging with an impressive sapidity and lift despite the no less impressive depth concentration and sheer density of the compact mid-palate Black cherry; mulberry; blackberry; a little bilberry fine-grained tannins pulling the fruit back towards the spine; ultra-svelte in texture and caressing Each cépage brings something distinct – aromatically structurally and texturally – and yet what is most impressive about this wine is its seamless integration and the sense of natural harmony that it exudes Figeac 2019 (Saint Émilion; 34% Cabernet Sauvignon; 36% Cabernet Franc; 30% Merlot; a final yield of 32 hl/ha; pH 3.70; 14.1% alcohol; tasted at the property in late June 2023) but oh so elegantly; very expressive aromatically – much more so than the 2020 at this stage with delightful blackcurrant leafy undertones very elegant and svelte and all constructed around a profound and at this stage still almost impenetrable graphite core Utterly classy with lovely juicy gobbets of fresh sapidity A little less broad than the 2020 and more tight and compact as a consequence There’s slightly less sense of grip as the wine is less ample but it is still structured fabulously by the tannins with waves of freshness on the gently tapering finish Figeac 2018 (Saint Émilion; 37% Merlot; 30% Cabernet Franc; 33% Cabernet Sauvignon; aged in new oak barrels for 16 months; pH 3.7; 14% alcohol; tasted at the property in late June 2023) I’ve tasted this a few times since en primeur and it’s now much more expressive than it was – having passed through a rather closed and introvert phase It’s very expressive now – and very expressive of the vintage ‘Solaire’ as the French would have it – sunny and radiant But authentically and profoundly Figeac too with all that walnut but you wouldn’t notice other than in the context of the vertical here with a touch of liquorice root to accompany the green Szechuan peppercorns But there’s loads of Figeac character here especially when one considers that Cabernet makes up nearly two-thirds of the blend for this wine are immensely soft and seductive and the overall impression is of a golden fist in a velvet glove blueberries and mulberries – with loads of graphite a touch of cedar and the vibrant intensity of the first summer rain that breaks the drought That lovely floral element again – violets irises and gladioli (Dame Edna Everage would have loved this!) Lots of good choices were made here in the temporary wine-making facility put in place whilst the new chai was built The wine is fresh and to have kept it to 14% alcohol is impressive (the 2016 was already at 13.9%) Figeac 2009 (Saint Émilion; 35% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot; a final yield of 40 hl/ha; tasted at the property in late June 2023) A brilliant wine that is not far off having the potential of the 1990 more balance and more finesse than almost all of the ostensibly great 2009s I’ve tasted recently from either left or right bank The heat of the summer can produce in this vintage a certain excess; here it just produces gracious elegance and harmony – not even opulence long and refined with that layered complexity that comes from the tripartite combination of Cabernet Sauvignon the wondrous cedar and leafy blackcurrant aromatics that come from the Cabernet A wine that seems to herald the great vintages to come – 2016 Figeac 1990 (Saint Émilion; tasted blind over dinner in the Château in late June 2023; 13% alcohol) richness (but in moderation) and a glorious integral finesse The epitome of Figeac and a massive tribute to the sheer quality not just of the terroir but also of the capacity to grow the right things on it I cannot think of a St Emilion from the 1990s I have enjoyed as much Figeac 1966 (Saint Émilion; tasted blind over dinner in the Château in late June 2023) From a vintage described by Michael Broadbent as a ‘lean Very fresh and aromatically expressive too a little herbal hint and bright fresh fruit scents even now Incredibly youthful for its age – you’d probably place this at least a decade later if you didn’t know that it was Figeac (of course so it was rather easier to pick this as the ‘world cup’ vintage) A study in the sheer quality of the terroir Figeac 2022 (Saint Émilion; 35% Merlot; 34% Cabernet Franc; 31% Cabernet Sauvignon; pH 3.7; 14% alcohol; tasted en primeur at the property) the first vintage of Figeac as premier grand cru classé A One could not have higher expectations and they are all exceeded What is perhaps initially most striking is the cool Cabernet purity and elegance that is so emblematic of this vintage jasmine and amazing fruit complexity – first black cherry bramble and the intense sapid juiciness of each I’ve never tasted a more complete wine from Figeac and the quality of the tannins is at a new level for me It is so fitting that everything comes together in this vintage The best ever from here I am sure and how pleasing it feels to write that Following Saint-Emilion’s Château Figeac’s promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A our Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay talked to Blandine de Brier Manoncourt and Frédéric Faye about the appellation the classification and Figeac’s place within it The promotion of Château Figeac to Premier Grand Cru Classé A, which was announced in September 2022 but that is in the nature of the St-Emilion classification Properties that are uplifted – above all to Premier Grand Cru Classé A (1GCCA) – are promoted a full classificatory cycle after most commentators think they warrant it because most commentators base their evaluations on the tasting room which inevitably privileges the most recent vintages general secretary and co-owner of the famed Bordeaux estate the ascent is both recognition for the château’s very specific terroir and “a reward for the long-term vision and work” “a simple reward for the quality of a handful of recent vintages” A property’s performance is gauged over a full 15-year period – and with a three-vintage time lag – which makes sense for the classification to remain authoritative The reclassification was based on a tasting of vintages from 2005 to 2019 supported by a slew of information covering all aspects of the estate’s activity But the very effort and wait is what made it all the more rewarding for the family and the team at Figeac and we are now recognised for that collective achievement,” she smiles “And it has been fabulous and heart-warming to receive so many messages of goodwill While no doubt a great honour – Figeac and Pavie are now the only two châteaux in the top tier of the classification – de Brier Manoncourt and Figeac’s managing director are careful to sidestep the controversy over the classification in recent years This saw three of the original Premier Grand Cru Classé A properties (Ausone and Cheval Blanc followed by Angélus) withdraw entirely from the classification between August 2021 and January 2022 over a philosophical difference about the criteria of the classification amid criticism that it was “drift[ing] towards marketing” The withdrawals could hardly have been met with enthusiasm at Figeac but while “it is regretful” not to be sitting alongside those great châteaux He also tactfully refuses to speculate on whether the three châteaux would have withdrawn calling it “an interesting – if perhaps theoretical – question” and says: “We respect the choices of others and we have great respect for all three of these former 1GCCAs and they have their own reasons – just as we made our choice to submit a dossier for promotion to 1GCCA We are delighted by the outcome – it is as simple as that.” the question of Figeac’s promotion had become the litmus test of the credibility of a competitive system of classification for St-Emilion that has never been uncontroversial But de Brier Manoncourt has faith that the St-Emilion classification – and competitive classifications more generally – “absolutely” have a future and one that needs to be “nurtured and supported” “It is our collective responsibility to make sure that it works and is seen to work,” she nods “We see the classification as an opportunity for the appellation available for all St-Emilion teams and families and for the consumers who are seeking guidance “A competitive system of classification is never easy to put in place and a certain amount of controversy is inevitable But we are heartened that the new classification has been well-received That should give us all optimism for its future.” it is clear that the property has been enthused and energised by the reclassification the team are tirelessly and very simply focused on the daily tasks of trying to ensure that the best vintage is the next one the classification is simply a step forward “an invitation to continue to work as we always have – with calm determination and dynamism” The long-term vision remains “an unwavering commitment to express the singular quality of the palette of terroirs that comprise the vineyards at Figeac” This commitment has just taken tangible form with a new £15 million winery more adapted technology and better tools to use The principal factors motivating the massive investment were “space in order to express the complexity of our terroir with purity,” de Brier Manoncourt explains “The project was based on the winemaking process and the vision of what we needed to work even better The last 10 years has seen huge progress in terms of greater precision in the estate’s viticultural work and the team “wanted to reach the same precision and excellence in the winemaking process as in the viticulture” and “perfectly equipped for Figeac’s specific needs – precise and very practical” The new winery sits on top of the vineyard’s hill “like a ship vast below ground but deliberately discreet on the surface” in order to better integrate into its “beloved landscape” with its 5,000sq m surface area comprising two underground levels which gives it a Tardis-like presence – massive internally and yet seamlessly integrated into the château buildings and the vineyard from the outside It feels so timeless that it is as if it has always been there but the underground design means the processes are also entirely gravity-fed and more efficient in terms of energy consumption and respect for the environment The new vat room is as much a technical triumph as an architectural model – eight PEFC-certified French oak vats placed in a circle at the heart of the vat room are complemented by 40 truncated-cone stainless steel vats designed for plot and intra-plot vinifications These boost the number of separately vinified lots from which the grand vin is assembled by around 40% allowing the team to work with more precision to express the complexity of Figeac’s fabulous terroir help to achieve a more nuanced terroir expression: the flavour palette becomes ever purer and more precise and the wine gains complexity,” Faye explains we can vinify each parcel or even intra-parcel separately for the blending we have 40% more nuance in our palette and therefore our wines gain in complexity.” There is also a vast well-lit tasting room with dramatic views of both the cellar and the vines and two salons designed for hosting guests at the estate You’d think that the team would give itself a pause after this massive investment There are “at least 10 experiments at any given point in the year” covering everything from the supply chain to vineyard health from vinification to barrel selection and environmental impact including an important study of carbon emissions across the entire property “Our fundamental modus operandi is constant improvement and renewal each aimed at preserving what is special about our wines while also moving forward,” she says replanting the vineyards is “a continual process” to maintain the health More than one-third of the vineyard has been replanted over the last decade with most recent replanting informed by a fully comprehensive study of soil climate and vegetation at the micro-parcel level conducted by a team from l’Université de Dijon in 2018 One the major projects at this time was putting a massal selection parcel “This veritable library allows us to replant using the localised diverse genetic material across all three grape varieties in our vineyard,” de Brier Manoncourt explains “This is particularly important in our larger preparations for a changing climate.” the vineyard team has become more flexible in its cultivation methods which stood it in good stead for the challenges of 2022 It was a “climatically unprecedented” vintage due to the early and long-lasting heat and drought across Bordeaux drawing deeply on the experience acquired during recent hot vintages as well as its “systemic and deeply rooted agro-ecological approach” in order to limit the evapotranspiration of the vine and the evaporation of water from the soil we employed various tools and methods: inter-row plant cover harvest at dawn to benefit from the coolest temperatures no leaf removal and limited topping,” Faye points out Figeac has natural assets that allow it to overcome extreme weather conditions “Vines are deeply rooted in the blue clay subsoil Islands of coolness are created by the woods ponds and streams found throughout the 13 hectares of the estate not planted with vines,” Faye explains And that brings us full-circle to the underlying reason for the château’s success: Figeac’s famously complex terroir a patchwork of plots grouped around three Gunzian-era gravel outcrops of flint and quartz over a blue clay subsoil which when combined with the diversity of the micro-climates provides the perfect terroir for Cabernet Franc gives de Brier Manoncourt the faith to profess that Figeac will “continue to exceed expectations and ensure the future of the estate for generations to come” Château Figeac has been promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classés A in the latest revision of the Saint-Émilion Classification the seven-member Classification Commission announced the latest list of crus classés for the the next ten years Château Figeac was promoted to the coveted spot of Premier Grand Cru Classés A – making it one of only two chateaux in the top spot which was promoted to ‘A’ status in 2o12 16 estates have been named as new Grands Crus Classés Frédéric Faye, Figeac’s managing director, told Terre de Vins it was “an immense pleasure to see Figeac recognized in this way.” “This encourages us to redouble our efforts to continue in the dynamic that has been ours for several years,” he said According to Liv-ex Château Figeac was the most traded Saint-Émilion Grand Cru estates after the Premier Grand Cru Classé A châteaux accounting for 10.8% of wines from St Emilion in 2022 Prices for the chateau have also risen 47.1% in the last three years and it has therefore long been seen as a prime candidate for promotion president of the Saint-Émilion Wine Council congratulated all the properties that now feature in this new classification as well as the the people who worked on them “This is truly an outstanding human adventure that relies on teamwork,” he said “Without a terroir and committed women and men There is no doubt that this new classification will continue to lend prominence to the name of Saint-Émilion abroad.” The new classification distinguishes 85 properties in total: two Premiers Grands Crus Classés A The list will now be submitted to the French Agricultural and Consumption Ministries for approval an increase from the 75 named in the first edition announced in 1955 (completed in 1958) which designated 63 estates as Grands Crus Classés and 12 as Premiers Grands Crus Classés managing director of the Saint-Émilion Wine Council said the basic rules of the classification were firm on two points – “tasting remain essential and property tax base is strictly controlled Though they have evolved with the times.” He added that nowadays for example it was important to pay special attention to environmental issues “90% of the estates in Saint-Émilion wine growing area are part of environmental actions (the aim is to attain 100% of the estates certified in 2023) The Crus Classés should show their investment in environment and biodiversity This contributes to the influence of the appellation and the durability of the classification,” he said Binard continued that 50% of the final score is determined by a panel of 43 experts tasting the wines of each applicant Ten vintages are tasted for the Grands Crus Classés and 15 for the Premier Grands Cru Classés terroirs and winegrowing/winemaking method make up the remaining 50% though for Premier Grands Cru Classés reputation counts for 35% A classification in crisis: what next for Saint-Émilion Why is Chateau La Gaffelier leaving the Saint-Émilion classification? In focus: How Ausone and Cheval Blanc’s exit will affect the Saint-Émilion classification The Saint-Émilion Succession – Series Two a fine wine competition that pits young oenophiles from major French and international universities took place at Château-Figeac in St Emilion last Saturday (3 February) db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay was one of the judges meticulously organised by the prestigious École Polytechnique starts with a qualifying round that sees 15 student teams (comprising three people in each team) pit their skills against one another in three blind-tasting trials interspersed by two theoretical tests with the three highest-scoring teams going through to a final blind ‘taste-off’ to win the coveted glass goblet The practical part of the contest in the qualifying round consisted of three flights of four wines – a white flight a red flight and a mystery-themed flight of wines linked by a common feature revealed to the contestants only at the last minute This year the theme was wines produced from vineyards planted on volcanic soils The teams were given 25 minutes for each flight and asked to identify the country vintage and estate of each wine in the series A four-strong panel of judges oversaw proceedings It comprised Philippe de Lur Saluces (of Château de Fargues in Sauternes) Cloé Azaïs (the director of the Négociant house Frédéric Faye (the general director of Château-Figeac itself) and myself (representing The Drinks Business and not on this occasion Sciences Po Amongst the highlights of the tasting (at least for us jurors who were not being evaluated on our blind-tasting prowess) were: to give you a sense of the severity of the challenge posed to the teams even in the theoretical component here are a few of the questions they were posed: Thankfully no-one was keeping a record of the jury members’ performance (and we picked neither the wines nor the questions) the three qualifying teams – SupAgro Montpellier (more formally Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II and ENSTA Paris (who narrowly pipped an impressive team from the University of Oxford to the final taste-off place) – were each given 15 minutes to taste (again They were then asked to present each wine in turn to the jury identifying in the process its country and region of origin during which the jury agreed unanimously both the rank ordering of the three finalists but also that all three had performed rather better than a hypothetical team comprised of the jurors themselves the team from SupAgro Montpellier was declared this year’s winner of the X-Wine Contest Baptiste Boissenot and perhaps above all Théo Derenoncourt who was also part of last year’s winning team) The three wines in the final ‘taste-off’ were a gloriously refined and (for the vintage) extremely elegant Châteu Lafite-Rothschild 2011 a deceptively impressive Charles Heidsieck non-vintage blanc de blancs Champagne (easily mistaken for something rather more rare and expensive) and Maison Gustave Lorentz’s vendanges tardives Alsace Riesling Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru from 1997 with all of the participants enjoying the fabulous 2004 vintage of Château-Figeac served from grand format (impériale) before the results were revealed to the teams by Philippe de Lur Saluces and Mme de Brier Manoncourt on behalf of our gracious hosts The producer Château Figeac is the only one to have been elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the year’s classification and has offered its bottles at a 55.2% rise on the previous opening price The St-Émilion classification has seen notable developments and controversies in recent years Château Angélus and Château Pavie were promoted to the esteemed Premier Grand Cru Classé A status resulting in immediate Market Price increases They both released their 2012 vintages at significantly higher prices than in the previous year Château Figeac became the only producer to be promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A The château has followed the trend of Angélus and Pavie with its en primeur release price: Figeac 2022 was offered at £3,036 per 12×75 a 55.2% rise from the previous year’s opening price there have also been notable withdrawals from the classification Château Angélus removed its application for the 2022 ranking in January which had announced their withdrawal in July 2021 When Angélus and Pavie were promoted in September 2012 their indexed Market Prices increased by 18% and 11% respectively in the space of one year the Bordeaux 500 index only increased by 5% Despite Angélus’ subsequent withdrawal from the classification in 2022 its index value has remained relatively stable from September 2022 to May 2023 while Pavie’s prices have been declining since 2018 Figeac experienced a significant 41.7% increase in its index value between September 2020 and September 2022 This rise could be attributed to the anticipation leading up to the 2021 St-Émilion classification when the wine was originally rumoured to be promoted following increased demand for the producer’s wines also partly explains why Figeac climbed from 75th place in 2020 to 12th place in 2021 in the Power 100 rankings It’s interesting to note that in November 2022 just after it was finally promoted to Grand Cru Classé A Figeac dropped back to 35th place in the Power 100 rankings The impact of the new release on Figeac’s index remains to be seen As Figeac prices peaked until September 2022 perhaps the momentum surrounding its upgrade has already been and gone Château Figeac 2020, rated 96 points by Decanter’s Jane Anson, was released this morning (25 June) at a price of €156 per bottle ex-Bordeaux, according to Liv-ex That translated to a UK merchant price of around £1,872 per 12-bottle case in bond the 2020 Figeac looks to offer good value at release,’ said Liv-ex analysts Its said Figeac 2020’s ex-Bordeaux price was around 30% higher than the debut price of its 2019 vintage in last year’s en primeur campaign However, the 97-point Figeac 2019 has risen in price since release meaning it is currently trading significantly above the 2020 grand vin This is an example of how release prices have generally increased on an ex-Bordeaux basis in this year’s 2020 en primeur campaign but that the picture is more nuanced when comparing current market prices for individual estates’ wines Liv-ex market price data showed the 2020 was also slightly cheaper than Figeac 2018 which recently received 98 points from Anson Anson said the 96-point Figeac 2020 is ‘an extremely elegant and controlled wine’ and is the first vintage produced in the St-Emilion premier grand cru classé B estate’s new cellars ‘Tannins are finely layered but there are a lot of them but this is rarely a wine that rushes out to seduce It takes its time and has ageing potential in spades.’ Analyst group Wine Lister said ‘Though there exists similarly-priced availability of both 2015 and 2010 Figeac’s style evolution and upward trajectory in terms of market demand should mean this works very well particularly as it provides a more up-beat end to a week of punchy price increases.’ Another big Right Bank release this morning was Pomerol’s Château La Conseillante 2020 ‘There are some beautifully fragrant floral aromatics here with concentration through the mid palate and effortless balance,’ she wrote Conseillante 2020 was released at the same price as Figeac so €156 ex-Bordeaux and around £1,872 per 12-bottle case in bond at UK merchants Liv-ex said the ex-Bordeaux price was 30% up on the 2019 opening price and the 2020 was also above its market price for the 97-point 2019 wine Fine & Rare was offering six-bottle cases of La Conseillante 2019 at roughly the same price as the estate’s 2020 vintage It’s been a big week for the Bordeaux 2020 en primeur campaign with three of the 1855 first growths launching their 2020 wines alongside many other classified estates It’s early days in terms of analysing buyer demand, but Château Margaux 2020 appeared to do well while others praised the price of the 2020 release which was named ‘Left Bank wine of the vintage’ by Jane Anson ‘There has been a good amount of interest for both Haut-Brion and Mouton but not at the sort of demand levels seen last year given the prices.’ ‘We have seen some buyers looking at other recent vintages where they have seen new release pricing as marginal.’ This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page At the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter 2016 we were treated to a masterclass by Frédéric Faye managing director of Château Figeac and Hortense Idoine-Manoncourt daughter of legendary owner Thierry Manoncourt Over the hour they took the sold out class through the history and winemaking philosophy of the château.. Château Figeac is a leading light in St. Emilion on the Bordeaux right-bank The château is situated very close to Pomerol and next to Cheval Blanc The main vineyards are planted on three gravel hills and it’s this high gravel content in the soil that sets the Château apart from others on the right bank allowing for a high proportion of Cabernet in their blends Figeac is currently classified as a 1er Grand Cru Classé (B) The estate dates back to Roman times and the second century A.D. when the Figeacus family gave the estate it’s name Roman ruins are still found on the site today In 1892 the Manoncourt family acquired the estate and made it the winery we know today Thierry Manoncourt was the first to settle and live at the estate rather than just have it has a holiday home and it was under his guidance that Figeac made great leaps forward creating the wines we now know Whilst St-Emilion is kingdom of Merlot planted on clay and limestone soil, Figeac has gravel on it’s three hills which is more suited to Cabernet , much like the wines of the Bordeaux left bank. The estate grows; 35% Cabernet Sauvignon Château Figeac is the largest estate in St-Emilion with 54 hectares of land of which 40 hectares are under vine and the average age of the low density vines on the property is 40 years Alcoholic fermentation takes place in wood and the malolactic in stainless steel tanks which were introduced by Thierry Manoncourt – Figeac was the first estate on the right bank to use stainless steel The wine is aged in 100% new oak barriques which Frédéric Faye believes is possible because of the properties high proportion of Cabernet The estate uses five different barrel coopers to create barrels to meet their exact specifications In 1945 Thierry Manoncourt was the first Right Bank producer to bottle a second wine under the name La Grange Neuve de Figeac This was originally a plot specific wine which was revamped to become a second selection wine Frédéric Faye highlighted the need for cellar ageing and talked the masterclass through the change along the ageing curve Cigar and cedar was a signatory note of all the wines tasted A masterclass with Château Figeac wines at the recent Decanter Shanghai Fine Wine Encounter provided a perfect opportunity to check-in on recent vintages at the St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate in Bordeaux and how does 2015 stack up against them now it’s in the bottle How many more years has the 1985 vintage got left See my fresh tasting notes below and also read a brief interview with Château Figeac’s technical director In this insightful interview with Business Review delved into the nuances and challenges of the wine industry while exploring the unique qualities of Château-Figeac de Brier Manoncourt shares her perspectives on various topics from the impact of climate change on winemaking to the blend of tradition and innovation that characterizes their approach What are some of the biggest challenges facing the wine industry today? A significant challenge we face is maintaining our commitment to excellence while continuously striving to improve Climate change presents another substantial challenge we have been dedicated to deepening our understanding of how Château-Figeac operates This involves meticulously analyzing each plot to comprehend its response to climatic variations One of our ongoing challenges is to enhance our understanding of how our estate reacts to climate changes and to adapt accordingly Figeac’s distinctiveness is also marked by our unusual blend of ⅓ Merlot Our current focus is not on altering this blend but on adapting to the specific needs of our vines in the face of climate change We aim to evolve our practices to meet these new challenges a trend undoubtedly linked to climate change This issue is a daily consideration in our operations Climate change significantly impacts wine production Our challenge is to preserve the freshness and longevity of our wines despite naturally increasing alcohol levels such as refraining from de-leafing during warmer conditions with 41 hectares dedicated to vine cultivation This leaves about a quarter of our land free from vines instead populated by trees and other green spaces providing humidity and cooler temperatures at night which are immensely beneficial to the vines What are the values and vision that guide your family’s stewardship of Château-Figeac? At the heart of our family’s stewardship of Château-Figeac lies a deep-seated respect – a respect for the people who work alongside us for the nature that blesses us with its bounty This reverence is central to our philosophy which is often encapsulated in our saying: “We want to take the essence of this place and encapsulate it in the bottle.” It’s this guiding principle that shapes every decision we make ensuring that every action is in harmony with this core value of respect What are some of the most memorable or rewarding experiences that you have had as a co-owner of Château-Figeac? we had an unforgettable moment at Château-Figeac – we were waiting for the classification results The entire estate was abuzz with anticipation awaiting the results from the classification while we were in the middle of our 2022 harvest the general manager and the technical manager huddled together in our office a sense of communal expectancy hanging in the air The moment the results were revealed we all burst with happiness and pride We started running through the vineyard and the cellars All we had to say was “Yes!” and they all understood “1er Grand Cru Classé ‘A’” – a prestigious recognition but for the dedication that spanned several decades intimate gathering with the Figeac team that evening It was a time of celebration and shared happiness a moment that encapsulated the exceptional nature of Figeac How do you balance the tradition and innovation in your winemaking process and how does that affect the quality and reputation of your wines in the global market which emphasizes continual improvement without being bound by our past methods We constantly question whether our current practices are the best way to achieve our goals especially considering factors like climate change This mindset is crucial in blending tradition with modern technology Our focus is on using technology and innovation to enhance our understanding of who we are and how we work This approach ensures that these advancements serve the needs of Figeac Such a balance between tradition and innovation not only elevates the quality of our wines but also strengthens our reputation in the global market We are committed to evolving while respecting our heritage a philosophy that is deeply ingrained in our DNA What are the main characteristics of your wines that distinguish them from other types of wine and how do they appeal to different consumer segments The most compelling way to understand the uniqueness of our wines at Château-Figeac is simply to taste them the distinctiveness of our wines can be largely attributed to the combination of our soil composition and our grape varieties Our vineyards are spread across three hills and sand under which lies the famous blue clay – a characteristic of Figeac This particular soil mix endows our wines with a notable minerality we’ve also focused on producing wines that are more approachable in their youth We aim to craft wines that express their richness early on we seek to convey the essence of the climate and the dedication of our work and passion Another distinguishing feature of Figeac is our wine label designed for the 1906 vintage by my great uncle it was remarkably modern – just the name “Château-Figeac” in bold letters followed by “Saint-Émilion,” and adorned with a red seal that signifies reliability and security We’ve retained this label design because of its striking appearance and memorability It not only adds a distinct character to our bottles but also brings a personal making our wines easily recognizable and memorable for consumers We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used Metallic Parts Supplier Figeac Aero Details 2028 Ramp-Up Plan is published in Aviation Daily In the wake of the sudden departure of longstanding Chateau Figeac director Eric d'Aramon the new managing director has said that the style of the wine will be respected by consultant Michel Rolland Eric d’Aramon has left Figeac after 25 years when he first started working for his father-in-law left the St Emilion Grand Cru Classe in March who is one of owner’s three daughters Friends of the former director have expressed dismay at the abruptness of his departure ‘It’s a very sad business,’ said one veteran member of the Bordeaux trade In reply to concerns by Figeac aficionadoes that Rolland might alter the wine’s style – based on a unique blend in Saint Emilion of one-third each of Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc and Merlot – Faye told Decanter.com ‘Michel Rolland understands the challenge of the three grapes,’ and that he ‘will not alter the nature of Figeac.’ is one of the greatest Figeacs ever made.’ On taking on the consultancy of the St Emilion grand cru classe, Rolland told Decanter.com his aim was to ensure the promotion of the property from ‘B’ grade to the coveted ‘A’ grade Faye became vineyard manager in 2008 before being promoted to technical director in 2010 He said that a decision was made to find a consultant when former Figeac consultat Gilles Pauquet left the chateau in December last year Faye says that all members of the family are ‘getting along well’ and that d’Aramon and his family ‘are very busy with their new property in Grezillac in Entre-deux-Mers Eric d’Aramon told Decanter.com he had no comment It is understood he is speaking to no-one about the situation Written by Panos Kakaviatos and Adam Lechmere in Bordeaux Bordeaux native Yohan Castaing is a freelance journalist southwest France and Champagne houses for The Wine Advocate a guide to the wines of the Rh\u00f4ne Valley He also writes for wine publications including Gault&Millau and Jancis Robinson Castaing has held a variety of positions in the wine industry such as wine buyer and marketing director He was a wine marketing consultant and the author of several books about wine marketing and wine tourism before he became a full-time freelance wine journalist focusing on the industry and wine reviews The upcoming official revision of the St-Emilion Classification – scheduled to be announced in September 2022 – just might be the occasion for Château Figeac to at long last achieve the highest ranking of ‘premier grand cru classé A’ this would be on a par with its glorious past and also provide ample justification for the major investments made at this emblematic property in recent years by its owners Over 1000 mourners attended the funeral of Thierry Manoncourt of Chateau Figeac The patriarch of Chateau Figeac in Saint Emilion died at the chateau which has been in his family since 1892 The funeral took place yesterday at the collegiate church in Saint Emilion It was attended by neighbouring winemakers and countless merchants and courtiers of the Bordeaux wine trade Six remembrance books were placed by the doors for those present to record their memories Manoncourt’s death marks the end of an era Master of Wine and long-term resident of Bordeaux described the Manoncourts as ‘one of the last true aristocratic families of France’ and said he would always remember ‘the precision and beauty of his speech I have never heard the French language spoken so perfectly by any other person.’ Manoncourt’s son-in-law who has run Chateau Figeac for more than 20 years ‘He remained a figurehead for the chateau even after he stepped back from the operational side and has been a steady guide for me over the years It was his decision back in the 1940s and 50s to increase Cabernet Sauvignon in the vines and these decisions defined Figeac as a wine of great elegance Manoncourt’s list of accomplishments is long He was one of the founder members of the Union des Grand Crus and a key figure in the Jurade of Saint Emilion He was also instrumental in the setting up of the Saint Emilion classification in the 1950s and the chateau remains recognised as a Grand Cru Classe B despite his long-term hope that it would be promoted to join Cheval Blanc and Ausone as Grand Cru Classe A he was one of the first chateau owners in the Bordeaux region to open his estate to non-professionals by offering free tastings to visitors from the 1980s Manoncourt was unafraid to take controversial decisions for his wine – his research into the effects of terroir on the ageing potential of individual grape varieties led him to plant up to 70% of Figeac’s vineyard with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon Figeac was the third estate in Bordeaux to introduce stainless steel tanks Much has been made of the fact that American critic Robert Parker hasn’t scored his wines since 2006 despite declaring in the past his great respect for the wine Amongst all the speculation as to why this should be some suggest that Manoncourt simply didn’t send his wines to Parker for evaluation he didn’t approve of all that,’ Salvi says – ‘all that’ meaning the annual brouhaha around the release of Parker’s 100-point scores leading the tribute on behalf of the Jurade to rebuild the vineyard of Figeac as well as the Saint Emilion Jurade He believed its role was not simply a brotherhood but an association to defend the interests of working winemakers and to promote the wines of Saint Emilion across the world’ Mathieu Cuvelier at Clos Fourtet told decanter.com he considered Manoncourt one of the great historical figures of the region ‘What I will remember the most is his incredible zest for life but he walked out for miles in the vines every Sunday but he also liked to also keep an eye on what was happening with his friends and neighbours.’ Chateau Figeac is currently managed by his daughter Laure along with her husband Eric d’Aramon Manoncourt is buried in the cemetery of Saint Emilion Marie-France Manoncourt named Jean-Valmy Nicolas as co-director of Château Figeac Figeac had been in the Manoncourt family since 1892 and the news caused a minor earthquake at the time because Nicolas was already co-director just over the border from Figeac in the neighbouring appellation of Pomerol Daily Memo: Investment Fund Gears Up For Next Round Of French Supply Chain Consolidation is published in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report Already a member of AWIN or subscribe to Aerospace Daily & Defense Report through your company? Login with your existing email and password Not a member? Learn how you can access the market intelligence and data you need to stay abreast of what's happening in the aerospace and defense community Will the price be tempting enough for consumers Figeac and Vieux Château Certan all releasing in recent days Cheval-Blanc and Vieux Château Certan's prices are comparable to the high-quality 2016 and 2015 vintages The current strong dollar compared to the euro is also making prices attractive at leading U.S "What is clear is that the wines have everything an American consumer will enjoy: complexity executive vice president at Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix if the prices remain at the level of or below the prices of 2016 … I think we should be able to get the attention of some Bordeaux lovers and possibly others." Wine Spectator website members can check out James Molesworth's preliminary scores and tasting notes for the top 2018 Bordeauxs; and read his reports on more than a dozen visits to top châteaus are still stuck in the system at their opening price indicating they were released as futures at too high a price to attract consumers If châteaus turn a blind eye to the realities of the market and get overzealous with pricing the 2018s the 2018 vintage is rife with superb options 2018 is better than 2015 and 2016 as it is a more consistent vintage though there are high points in both of those earlier vintages that sometimes best their 2018 counterparts mildew pressures resulted in some crushing crop losses at estates in 2018 dry summer and idyllic harvest conditions that allowed producers who culled their crop well to harvest some spectacular fruit Check out Wine Spectator's "How (and Why) to Buy Wine Futures" for more on the benefits and pitfalls of en primeur purchases Below you will find prices and analysis on the campaign which means before importers and retailers add markup which is compiled from Wine Spectator's tracking of leading U.S watch for James Molesworth's full report in the July 31 issue of Wine Spectator These estates represent a selection of leading wineries Our ratings are potential scores based on barrel samples Retail prices are an average of trusted retailers we follow Prices for the 2018s are listed alongside the current prevailing retail price for Bordeaux's recent benchmark vintages so you can measure where the wines are vis-à-vis those currently on retail shelves NYR means a wine has not been submitted for review yet NA means a wine has not been released or is not sold in sufficient quantities by U.S retailers yet to determine an average price Some of the Right Bank’s best-known wineries have now released their 2018 futures a sign that this year’s campaign is winding down Figeac and Vieux Château Certan are all out now St.-Emilion’s Cheval-Blanc (NYR) set its 2018 futures prices at €528 per bottle a 22.2 percent increase over the 2017 vintage The average initial retail price of $703 per bottle ($8,436 per case) is 17.1 percent higher than the 2017 initial retail price That’s 10 percent lower than the 2016 current retail price and even lower than current prices for the 2015 and 2010 vintages and the owners may believe the rising prices are warranted Pomerol’s Vieux Château Certan (NYR) has released its 2018 futures at €210 per bottle a 25 percent increase over the past vintage The initial retail price of $293 ($3,516 per case) is 23 percent higher than 2017 but 20 percent less than the 2016 and 2015 current retail prices and 40 percent less than the 2010 current price of $497 Château Lafite Rothschild (NYR) released its 2018 futures today of the first growths to participate in the campaign since Château Latour does not release futures Lafite set its price for 2018 at €470 per bottle but actually a more modest increase over 2017 at 11.9 percent than the other three wineries The initial retail stands at $643 per bottle also a modest 7.8 percent increase over 2017 initial retail and markedly lower than current retail prices for the 2016 Over in Pomerol, Château L’Eglise Clinet (95-98) has set its 2018 futures prices at €210 per bottle lower than current retail prices for 2016 and 2010 but relatively close to 2015 current retail of $284 Château Margaux (NYR) leads the charge for first-growths The initial retail price of $565 per bottle ($6,780 per case) is a 13.1 percent increase over the 2017 initial retail price but it is still significantly lower than the current prices for recent notable vintages Fellow first-growths Château Haut-Brion (NYR) and Château Mouton-Rothschild (NYR) followed suit this morning both releasing at an identical €408 per bottle which is also a 17.2 percent increase on the opening price of the 2017 Both are currently selling at leading retailers for $570 markedly lower than the 2016 and 2015 vintages' current prices St.-Emilion's Château Pavie (96-99) released at €282 retailers are offering it for $376 per bottle a four percent drop from the 2017 release price and even lower than the current 2016 and 2015 prices La Mission Haut-Brion (not yet rated) stunned a lot of Bordeaux watchers yesterday releasing their 2018 futures at €252 per bottle just 5 percent higher than their 2017 futures Plenty of other big-name wineries have released this week typically raising prices by 15 to 20 percent But those prices are still low enough that merchants are offering the wines for less than the high-quality 2016 and 2015 vintages currently on the market It’s prompting more consumer interest than expected La Mission Haut-Brion is being offered by retailers for $346 only a 4.2 percent increase over 2017 initial retail offering and 31 percent less than current prices for both 2016 and 2015 and 65 percent less than the 2010 current price of $985 Ducru-Beaucaillou (96-99 points) is on trend with its St.-Julien neighbors increasing prices modestly by 16 percent over 2017 An initial retail price of $193 comes out to a 12 percent increase over the 2017 initial price it remains lower than current prices for 2016 Léoville Las Cases (97-100) announced their futures release at €180 per bottle Initial retail average is also up 23 percent which interestingly is also higher than the current 2015 price of $241 but remains lower than 2016 current price of $325 and 2010’s $333 Futures for Pichon Lalande (97-100) have been released at €132 a significant 46.7 percent increase over 2017 futures 43.8 percent higher than 2017’s initial retail price of $127 While Initial retail for 2018 is only slightly under 2015 current price of $190 it is lower than 2016 and 2010 current prices of $222 and $254 Smith-Haut-Lafitte (95-98) released its 2018 at €79.20 per bottle Initial retail price is also up 11.7 percent over 2017 at $110 The initial price for 2018 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc is also slightly higher Second-growth Cos-d’Estournel (NYR) released at €144 per bottle which is a 33.3 percent increase over the 2017 release price The initial retail average of $197 is 29.9 percent higher than 2017’s $152 initial retail price As compared to other recent vintage’s current prices at $233 and 42 percent lower than 2010 at $339 Pichon Baron (95-98) is out at €114 ex-négoce Initial retail average upon release is $160 which This 2018 retail price is a bit lower than the almost identical current prices for 2016 and 2015 and 43 percent lower than the 2010 current price of $281 Les Carmes Haut-Brion (95-98) futures have been released at €69 ex-négoce which Initial retail of $103 is a slightly higher percent increase the initial retail price for 2018 is considerably lower than current 2016 price only $2 shy of 2015’s current retail price but actually 15 percent higher than 2010’s current retail of $90 Last week, the 2018 futures campaign hit full steam, as multiple top names released their allocations. Château Lynch Bages was the biggest attention-grabber: The brand has a strong presence in the United States and other markets, and its 2018 earned a potential 96-99 points in Wine Spectator senior editor James Molesworth's blind tastings Lynch Bages raised prices 20 percent from last year similar to what other wineries have done so far it still prices the futures lower than the château’s 2016 and 2015 wines Many wineries are adopting a similar strategy More big names are expected to release this week Lynch Bages released its 2018 (96-99) at €90 per bottle ex-négoce which puts it 20 percent higher than last vintage The initial retail average of $124 per bottle is 14.2 percent higher than 2017 initial price but it’s lower than the current prices for top vintages 2016 Troplong-Mondot (95-98) released its 2018 futures at €74.40 per bottle ex-négoce which is only a slight bump up from 2017 at 3.3 percent The initial retail price of $105 is far below the current 2016 price of $166 and 51 percent lower than standard bearer 2010’s current price of $216 Léoville Poyferré (95-98) is up 22.2 percent with a 2018 release price of €66 ex-négoce An initial retail price of $92 puts it 16.2 percent above the 2017 initial price and almost equal to 2016 initial retail of $91 That price is 22 percent lower than current prices for 2016 and 2015 and 48 percent below the 2010’s current price of $179 Château Giscours (93-96) in Margaux has set their futures price at €44.40 per bottle Initial retail price of $63 remains consistent with the past two vintages: 2017 initial of $61 and 2016 initial of $62 the initial price for 2018 is still increasing less than current prices for recent notable vintages 2016 Prices began to creep up this week, as Vinexpo came to a close and more wineries got down to business. Château Canon released on May 23 at €84 per bottle ex-négoce With an initial retail price at leading retailers of $120 the 2018 is 24.6 percent above last vintage’s initial retail price but 45 percent below 2016’s current price of $218 and 66 percent below 2015’s current price of $347 Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux priced its 2018 futures priced significantly higher than last year The initial retail price of $99 is 41.2 percent higher than 2017’s initial price of $77 and almost even with the 2016 current retail price of $101 In Pauillac, Grand-Puy-Lacoste released at €55 per bottle ex-négoce which is only a 4.2 percent increase over 2017’s release price The initial retail price of $77 is almost even with last year’s $76 but 17 percent less than 2016 current retail of $93 and 9 percent less than 2015 current retail of $85 St-Julien’s Léoville Barton announced a release price of €62 ex-négoce An initial retail price of $88 puts it at 14 percent over 2017 initial retail but at least 20 percent less than the current retail prices for 2016 At €42 per bottle ex-négoce, Château Talbot's 2018 price is 12.9 percent higher than the 2017 release of the St-Julien fourth-growth which is just above both 2017 and 2016 initial retails of $56 and $58 On the Right Bank, Valandraud futures have been released at €129 ex-négoce Château Palmer’s 2018 futures are 25 percent above last year’s ex-négoce price of €192 While retailers are just starting to offer it as of today the average retail price is $340 up 21.1 percent over the 2017 initial retail price and also higher than the 2016 initial retail price but lower than current average prices for the 2016 In St.-Julien, Branaire-Ducru released its 2018 futures at €38.40 per bottle ex-négoce, up 14.3 percent over 2017. The initial retail price stands at $55, which is a 7.3 percent increase over 2017, but the exact same initial price as the 2016 vintage, which has risen to $67 since. Beychevelle came out at €60, a 13.6 percent increase over last year. The initial retail average is $86, a 12 percent increase over 2017 and 2016’s initial retail of $77. However, it’s 25 percent less than the current 2016 price and 37 percent less than the 2010 price . Malescot-St.-Exupéry in Margaux at €40.80 ex-négoce is up 17.2 percent over last vintage, although initial retail is $57, which is only a 6.5 percent increase and a small decrease from the 2016 initial price of $58. St.-Estèphe’s Calon-Ségur is up a whopping 20 percent, at €72 per bottle ex-négoce. Unlike the other châteaus so far with smaller increases if any, its U.S. initial retail price has increased 23.6 percent, to $108 over 2017’s $88. It is also 13 percent higher than the 2015 current retail price of $96. Pavie Macquin released at €52.80, a slight increase of 2.3 percent from 2017. As for U.S. retail, the futures are nearly identical to the 2017 price, selling for around $75. In Pessac-Léognan, Pape Clément released last week at €66 per bottle, which is 7.8 percent higher than last year’s release. But the initial retail price of $92 is only slightly above 2017’s $91 and 2016’s $90. The Pape Clément white also came out, at €98.40, a small increase over last year’s release, and is selling at retail for about $137. Heading into this campaign, the current exchange rate of $1.12 to 1 euro has made the dollar 8 percent stronger than during last year's campaign. Consumers got the chance to taste dozens of outstanding wines in Chicago, with upcoming … The owner of Stoller and Chehalem wineries was devoted to the future of Willamette Valley … Inside the first U.S. location of the French luxury retailer, guests can enjoy fine wine at … Phase one of the Viticulture and Winery Technology program’s new home, funded by a $10 … The Tuscan wine company has purchased a minority stake in Tenute delle Terre Nere; De … While the White House has paused tariffs on foreign wines at 10 percent for now, the trade … 8 September 2022 brought saw the publication of the INAO’s new classification of the wines of Saint-Émilion and a huge collective sigh of relief from the vineyards of this most hallowed of right-bank appellations the most legally contested classification of all has been safely updated without any significant further damage to its reputation That may not sound like a great achievement But anyone who has followed the soap opera that the classification of the wines of Saint-Émilion has become over last two years in particular will appreciate that no news – or That the lawyers may have stopped rubbing their hands (for now) is cause in itself for celebration (and will perhaps give the callouses formed from previous bouts of rubbing time to heal!) the danger in the recent history of the classification is that we have become so accustomed to dwelling on the bad news that we are unable to take in So it is crucial that we start by celebrating the promotion of Figeac to Premier Grand Cru Classé A This is Figeac’s moment and it is well merited Many felt that Figeac was unlucky not to have been promoted alongside Angélus and Pavie back in 2012 It has been promoted; it richly deserves that promotion; and it honours the appellation to have Figeac join Pavie at the pinnacle of the classification Let me join in the collective chorus of acclaim (within the appellation and beyond) in congratulating the Manoncourt family and Frédéric Faye Figeac’s deeply accomplished director general since 2013 and the architect of the strategy to secure this richly-deserved promotion any other result would have been a travesty – and widely seen as such But we need to remember that the classification is quite a conservative institution – as it always has been despite the strength of its case for promotion in 2012 And the same can perhaps now be said for another three properties that may well be somewhat disappointed not to have been promoted in 2022 All three in my view (and that of many others) are making wines today of unimpeachable Premier Grand Cru Classé A quality (and they are not the only ones) the classification judges performance over 15 consecutive vintages (2005-2019 inclusive) – and therein lies the problem (and the conservatism) For none of these wines was at the level it is today in and retain (or even augment further) the quality of the wines they are producing over the next decade Figeac is in a different category today and there is something appropriate about being able to celebrate its success alone there is not a single promotion from Grand Cru Classé to Premier Grand Cru Classé That will disappoint many; but it is also hardly surprising For the most credible candidates from the 2012 classification simply in terms of the quality of the wines they produce (such as Grand Corbin-Despagne) tend not to command the kind of market position and price point required for promotion if we think about the next classification exercise – and strange though it may seem – it is perhaps easier to imagine the further promotion of a new entry like La Croix de Labrie than it is the promotion of longer-standing members of the Grand Cru Classé club the barrier to Premier Grands Cru Classé entry seems to be becoming more difficult to breach 2 of which (Figeac and Pavie) are classified A There has been rather more action at Grand Cru Classé level 64 properties were classified Grands Crus Classés Yet despite the net increase in the number of properties at this level it is the departure of familiar names that one notices first 13 wines that featured in the 2012 classification are missing from the 2022 classification Yet none of them has actually been demoted or declassified four of the Premiers Grands Crus Classés have left the classification altogether (Angélus Two more (La Clotte and Quinault L’Enclos) left the ranks of the Grands Crus Classés at the same time with them (with the properties linked All of the rest (7 in total) have already been or would now seem to be in the process of being absorbed into larger properties (L’Arrosée Tertre Daugay and Grand Pontet into Quintus; Pavie Decesse into Pavie; Les Grands Murailles into Clos Fourtet; Clos La Madeleine into Bélair-Monange; and Faurie de Souchard into Dassault) Clos la Madeleine and Faurie de Souchard it is really only their absence from the classification that leads us to infer that they will is fascinating – and arguably a little depressing it is not difficult to understand the commercial logic underpinning any incorporation of its vineyard into that of Pavie be subject to a very strict selection which will ensure that the quality of both Pavie itself and of Arômes de Pavie (the second label) are enhanced Given the current price differential between Pavie and Pavie Decesse even an ultra-strict selection would yield a financial dividend whilst only improving the quality of the first and second wines But in the process we risk losing a famous label and the capacity to enjoy its singular and distinct terroir vinified separately Clos La Madeleine Faurie de Souchard and Grand Pontet too (though each case is That sounds like a lot; and in a sense it is it needs to be acknowledged that whereas 90 dossiers were submitted to the panel for consideration in the 2012 reclassification exercise that swelled to an impressive 114 in 2022 (140 files were opened but only 114 completed dossiers were ultimately evaluated) even if the ranks of the Grands Crus Classés have grown it would be wrong to see the classification exercise as having become less strict – perhaps in the face of anxieties about legal challenges (as some had feared) What is clear is that a number of dossiers (almost certainly a higher proportion than in previous exercises) were refused on purely technical grounds with the wines never being tasted by the panel Such dossiers include those submitted by Peter Sisseck for Rocheyron and by Jonathan Maltus for Le Dôme (probably for very similar reasons) have been credible candidates for Premier Grand Cru Classé status – and both could be again in the next reclassification Amongst the new additions are a number of rising stars of the appellation – Vignoble K’s Tour Saint Christophe the Axelle and Pierre Courdurié’s La Croix de Labrie Jean Philippe Janoueix’s La Confession and Catherine Papon-Nouvel’s tiny Clos Saint-Julien (which must come close to challenging Clos Saint-Martin as the smallest classified growth in the entire appellation) We also see the return the fold of the previously de-classified Corbin Michotte (it is nice to see this saga end well) The rest are an interesting mix of the familiar and the less familiar They include some wines that I must confess to knowing a little less well (and in some cases hardly at all) – since they tend not to be distributed today through La Place de Bordeaux refreshing to see such new additions – particularly as they have been selected for inclusion through a robust discriminating and competitive reclassification process that seems to have passed the test many thought it incapable of passing Those that I have managed to speak to in Saint-Émilion in the last few days seem to be breathing a little more easily today They hope and expect things to become more serine (‘serein’ is the word they all seemed to use) but the expectation is new… and when it comes to the internal politics of the appellation and the classification of Saint-Émilion that counts as significant progress [departures: Angélus; Ausone; Cheval Blanc] [departures: Faurie de Souchard; Grand Pontet; Pavie Decesse; La Clotte; Quinault L’Enclos; Les Grands Murailles; L’Arrosée; Tertre Daugay; Clos la Madeleine] picks the estate’s 2011 to match her tomato soufflé recipe ‘The 2011 is a great wine with a full mouthfeel velvety tannins and a beautiful aromatic complexity,’ she says stating that the generosity of the vintage calls for an equally rich dish marked by an ‘explosion of flavours’ Saudi Arabia's SAMI is expanding its capabilities in aircraft component manufacture following the creation of JVs with Airbus and Figeac Aero Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) announced the creation of two joint ventures (JVs) with French industry on 4 December as part of the organisation's expansion into the aerospace industry The first JV agreement was signed with Airbus and overhaul (MRO) and service provision for military aircraft with an additional presence at the Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj The JV is anticipated to commence operations in 2022 and will initially focus on providing support for the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and Airbus C295 aircraft Support for additional platforms in the future may be considered The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) currently operates six Airbus A330-200 MRTT aircraft while the Ministry of Interior operates four C295Ws SAMI also announced the signing of an agreement to create a JV with French aerospace components manufacturer Figeac Aero and the Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company (Dussur) Figeac Aero will hold a minority stake in the company while a partnership between SAMI and Dussur will hold the remaining majority share the new business will involve an investment of around USD50 million to establish a facility in Saudi Arabia Revenues from the first year of operation are expected to be approximately USD10 million Serving both the military and commercial markets the facility will produce titanium and aluminium components for aircraft and helicopters Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more.. Delivering trusted intelligence to warfighters to protect national interests Providing mission users with faster access to quality data to pre-empt threats and protect national security Assured interconnected OSINT to deliver informed Solutions Insights About Contact Request a demo Customer Login Store Receive the latest developments in defence and security as well as keep informed on Janes news and events Janes Intelligence SummaryA fortnightly update featuring the latest analysis The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has lent French aerospace manufacturer Figeac Aéro SA €38 million to finance its production expansion in Morocco and Tunisia The EBRD loan will support the transfer of skills and advanced technology and an improvement in local quality standards towards international levels The creation of new jobs in countries with high levels of unemployment will also make a positive contribution to the economies of Morocco and Tunisia The investment will specifically address the issue of youth unemployment by offering young technicians and engineering students the opportunity to acquire skills and experience at the production sites in both countries EBRD Managing Director for the SEMED region said: “We are extremely pleased to support the expansion in Morocco and Tunisia of Figeac Aéro a group that under the leadership of its founder has shown a strong focus on growth and industrial excellence” “these substantial industrial investments will have a positive impact on the local economies and create opportunities for local small and medium-sized enterprises These industrial clusters often form advanced and dynamic sites where new skills are put into practice that are crucial for competitiveness on his part expressed satisfaction to see that the EBRD has confidence in Figeac development program He also said the European bank funding “not only strengthens our growth strategy it also enables us to diversify our funding sources It is fully in line with our desire to accelerate the deployment of our production capacities to meet the needs of our main customers.” Technical cooperation support is being provided through the European Union Trade and Competitiveness Program to boost the development of value chains in Morocco and Tunisia The program will enable Figeac Aéro’s local SME suppliers to receive tailored technical assistance with the aim of improving their competitiveness The EBRD launched its operations in the southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region in 2012 and to date the Bank has committed over €6.5 billion across 169 projects in most economic sectors will cooperate with French airplane parts company Figeac Aero SA to set up a joint venture in China for the production of aircraft components and parts Nanshan Aluminum and Figeac Aero signed a cooperation agreement on March 10 said a statement from the Chinese partner yesterday Nanshan Aluminum hopes to extend its industrial chain and provide customers with more added-value products and services through the JV or a wholly owned subsidiary designated by the company and the French partner will each contribute USD10 million in cash for the establishment of the joint venture The joint venture will mainly produce airplane parts which have relatively high requirements for raw-material production and machining Nanshan Aluminum will be the material provider while the joint venture will use the proprietary technologies and technological support of Figeac for machining and production The Chinese company will also carry out technology cooperation with its French partner to meet customers' technical requirements for products Figeac Aero is a specialized provider of small- and large-sized parts and sub-assembly components to important aviation parts manufacturers and airplane manufacturers It is one of the top 20 suppliers of Airbus and a supplier of Boeing By Aimée Turner2007-08-29T10:36:00+01:00 France's Ratier-Figeac is to take over production of the entire range of US parent Hamilton Sundstrand's propeller products including the military NP2000 the company has manufactured aircraft propellers since 1908 including the 5.3m (17.4ft)-diameter eight-bladed all-composite units for the Airbus Military A400M airlifter Hamilton Sundstrand makes NP2000 propellers for the E-2CHawkeye Ratier was acquired by United Technology division Hamilton Sundstrand in 1998 and propeller manufacture accounted for 16% of the French business's $150 million turnover in 2006 Other products manufactured include actuators and cockpit controls aircraft structural parts and repair and overhaul services for commercial and military customers The shift in responsibility will transfer about 100 jobs to the French company will remain stable as the positions will be reassigned to other projects Hamilton Sundstrand says it will transfer manufacture not only of the NP2000 all-composite NP2000 is used on the Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye and is compatible with the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 and Rolls-Royce T56 and AE2100 engines for the Lockheed Martin P-3C and C-130J The commercial 568F propeller is used on the ATR 42-500 and ATR 72-210 regional turboprops Midi-Pyrenees region president Martin Malvy says: "Confirmation that US propeller manufacture is to transfer to the Figeac-based Ratier division is excellent news It serves as proof of the confidence which the board and the shareholders of United Technology have in the Ratier factory in its management and in the whole of its workforce." The California company Stratolaunch is pioneering the development of a reusable flight vehicle capable of reaching speeds beyond Mach 5 Ten of the Boeing refuellers have been listed for sale on a US government auction website Norway has received US government approval to acquire up to 300 Raytheon AIM-9X Block II air-to-air missiles FlightGlobal is the global aviation community’s primary source of news analytics and advisory services to connect the aviation community globally and help organisations shape their business strategies identify new opportunities and make better decisions faster Site powered by Webvision Cloud member-first insights and commentary on the global aviation industry stately – welcomes me into his office and lights the first of many cigarettes The director of Château Figeac – ‘Monsieur Figeac’ as his friends call him – conforms to the more dishevelled type of Bordeaux aristocrat He favours a battered jacket and a green pullover that’s seen better days He’s charming and friendly and even smokes in a old-fashioned manner – that is Château Figeac is an 18th-century country house in the grand style and without the threatening bulk of Margaux or the effete turrets of Palmer On the shelves are editions of Feret’s Bordeaux et Ses Vins Eight bottles of Figeac are lined up on top of a cupboard There’s a Rioja carrier bag in the corner A table is covered with wine journals in a hundred different languages every one bristling with yellow Post-It Notes inserted by d’Aramon’s wife Laure I have promised the editor to get every last detail about the domestic life of a Bordeaux winemaker But instead of finding out how he likes his eggs in the morning I ask what he thinks about the letter that a clutch of UK merchants have sent to Bordeaux négociants begging them to keep en primeur prices low ‘We have the same letter from a Swiss merchant every year They are more expensive.’ That’s an argument they always use in Bordeaux Another one is: ‘I can always sell my wine so why price low?”Prices remained stable throughout the 1980s and 1990s In 1993 we had the same price as 1987 and we were losing money I don’t want to lose money – it’s not my role.’ It makes economic sense While some châteaux went up a whopping 80% for 2000 D’Aramon started working for his father-in-law Thierry Manoncourt in April 1988 He and Laure were married the year before while he was running the far-eastern division of yogurt manufacturer Yoplait Before that he worked for frozen-food giant Findus ‘I am in the business because I married my wife,’ he says He started as second-in-command to the formidable Manoncourt still sits in the next-door office and takes a keen interest in the running of the château Manoncourt tells me how delighted he is that the Figeac 1975 was drunk at the recent wedding of the Crown Prince of the Netherlands Later he pops up from behind the fermentation vats with a camera in his hand D’Aramon says he knew little about wine when he started but he’s obviously picked up a thing or two Robert Parker calls the 2000 ‘a profound effort’ Part of the reason Eric d’Aramon is liked stems from his respect for tradition St-Emilion is often accused of selling out to critics by making wine that will show well in the spring ‘Figeac is made to age extremely well,’ says Anthony Hanson senior director of wine at Christie’s ‘It’s not created to look good at the end of March so it’s sometimes judged harshly by critics who are used to finding more approachable samples.’ Hanson gives the example of the 2000 Figeac which he retasted this year just after bottling and found ‘wonderful – much better than in 2000.’ D’Aramon is also admired for the way he has dealt with the long shadow cast by his father-in-law By 1988 Thierry Manoncourt had been in charge for 40 years and had gained a reputation as a pre-eminent winemaker with a powerful character ‘It wasn’t easy,’ says Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier ‘Everybody knew his father-in-law and kept telling him what a great man he was not too aggressive – he followed Thierry at first but now his own personality is more expressive.’ https://www.decanter.com/learn/vintage-guides/bordeaux-vintage-guide/saint-emilion-and-pomerol/vintage-guide-117922/ Bernard reckons Figeac ‘is doing even better under Eric – the wine is more modern in the right way.’ He keeps to the style set by Manoncourt and has resisted the ‘Parker style’ – big Merlot-heavy wines – that many St-Emilion châteaux are following d’Aramon has stamped his personality on Figeac Bernard again: ‘It is easy to ask Michel Rolland to come and make your wine There are many châteaux where the oenologist is in charge Eric is doing it with his own energy and personality.’ He’s certainly energetic routinely putting in a 16-hour working day He says ‘life was suddenly very exciting’ when he took over running Figeac and when they came to southern France in 1635 the King of France made them marquis.’ Eric is the second son His elder brother Guy gets to be Marquis d’Aramon while Eric has to make to with being a count But didn’t they do away with all that sort of thing in the Revolution but these are courtesy titles.’ He also says his family didn’t suffer in the Revolution because ‘we were the kind of noble family that was close to the people in the villages so there was no resentment’ The current generation of d’Aramons – which includes Stanislas (13) Auriane (11) and Paul (7) – live in the wing of the château not occupied by Manoncourt The wallpaper is an original copy of an 18th-century design ‘There are 15 different colours in it,’ I am told Both the dining room and the sitting room are original – as is much of the furniture ‘I don’t know how valuable it is,’ says Eric d’Aramon ‘I’ve never cared about that – we use it every day,’ He’s at pains to point out that although we’ve pictured him and Laure with a bottle on the table at lunchtime they only normally drink wine in the evening ‘For dinner we drink what the visitors leave from the tastings downstairs At the moment it’s the 1989s.’ It’s not always Figeac At least half of what they drink socially is from colleagues ‘No names come to me,’ he says I am always surprised by top-rank winemakers who can’t reel off the names of their competitors This isn’t to say he’s not informed – he knows exactly what is going on in the Americas he feels you can’t compare Bordeaux with anything ‘I stopped going to the wine fairs in America because I was considered a Cabernet Sauvignon producer Part of my marketing is to say I have the most Cabernet in St-Emilion with my 35% But I was being put into tastings with wines made of 80% Cabernet – no comparison.’ We get into a lengthy discussion about comparable wines that ends with Eric d’Aramon saying: ‘Bordeaux wines are not for competitions They need time to settle and to age,’ which I feel is unanswerable – and also par for the course for a Bordeaux producer I’m tempted to tell him about the time at Château Lafite when I suggested my desert island wine would probably be something good and meaty from Napa The shock around the dinner table was palpable though I think he would have been more amused at my naïvety For all his affability and approachability there’s no doubt I’m with one of Bordeaux’s most serious winemakers but that did not stop him being one of the first to introduce regulation of temperature (still a subject he enthuses about – he wants to replace all his stainless steel with wood or concrete to achieve better temperature control) and a long-term plan to build a new facility for smaller 90-hectolitre vats for the malolactic fermentation D’Aramon is helped in all this by his wife the Comtesse Eric d’Aramon – her proper title and other general admin such as providing a cuttings service From an overflowing in-tray he produces Wein in which all relevant tastings have been underlined He doesn’t read German but gets the gist and his secretary translates all the important bits On our way outside to visit the cellars and the baronial tasting room (part of which survives from the original medieval château) we see a small back from school and now in breastplate and helmet and clutching a laser gun His dad ruffles his hair and he scoots back inside Will the children follow their father into wine My eldest son will definitely go into business – he can sell anything to anybody,’ and d’Aramon proudly relates how Stanislas persuaded the local shop to stump up money for a school project He speaks equally fondly of his daughter Auriane – who he’s just picked up from ‘Classe Verte’ – green school in which children learn about the importance of the environment It seems for this particular class they all went skiing Château Figeac is a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon Their living quarters are above and behind the office the bedroom directly above (he can hear the phones as he lies in bed) ‘We are very closely involved in the business The kids come back from school and come in and say hello when I’m working in here.’ Later that evening I am at an en primeur press reception at Château Carbonnieux a jolly affair in which every member of the Union des Grands Crus brings along a few choice bottles to welcome a motley collection of wine hacks from Milan to Japan During dinner guests and hosts are constantly on the move ‘C’est Monsieur Figeac.’ Adam Lechmere is the editor of decanter.com