Monday, January 28, 2013

1990 Figeac (St. Emilion)

One of my favorite Bordeaux estates, located outside of the charming hill town of St. Emilion. Apparently it was and maybe still is a site for pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

I visited Figeac in 1982 with Tom Banks in the early days of my wine fandom, and then again with Francie in 1985 during the great blizzard of January. Because of the once-every-thirty-years snow, we were the only tourists around. The winemaker at Figeac invited us into his house on the estate and opened a wonderful bottle of the 1975. In '82 Tom and I sneaked into a tour being held for German wine merchants; I translated (some of) what owner Thierry Manoncourt said. He talked about his astonishment ("nous sommes etonne") when Figeac was ranked lower than the highest rank, in 1955.  Figeac is known for using more cabernet sauvignon than most any winery on the right bank.

So, opening our last bottle of Figeac 1990 ($35 in 1993 or so when purchased), to go with a wonderful steak dinner cooked by Max and Laura: fully mature but somewhat withholding aromas at first. With air and warmth aromas of cherry, plum, mint and pine forest, then some licorice, wafted out. On palate, tannin almost totally gone, but good acid to balance ripe fruit and long finish. This reminds me of how special properly matured bordeaux is. There's nothing quite like it, though of course I take nothing away from California cabernet in saying this. I think Parker (below) underrates this wine. Or maybe his wasn't stored as well as mine! No astringency on finish at all. I'd say 93.

In 2009 he writes: 91 points. This is a strong effort for Figeac, but the wine is fully mature and is beginning to fade slightly. It offers a terrific bouquet of roasted herbs, cedarwood, licorice, sweet cherries, and background foresty/underbrush notes, a fleshy attack, medium body, sweet fruit, and plenty of glycerin, but the tannins provide a pinched finish that evaporates quickly leaving only astringency. This wine tires within 45 minutes of opening, so it needs to be drunk over the next 4-5 years, if not sooner. And, do not over-aerate! 

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