Château Figeac

Identity

Château Figeac is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Émilion, in the Gironde département. The Manoncourt family owns the estate. Frédéric Faye serves as Managing Director, alongside Raphaël Bordenave as cellar master and Thomas Duclos as consulting oenologist.

History and philosophy

The origins of the estate's name date back to the Gallo-Roman Figeacus family in the 2nd century. Following a fire in 1586, the château was rebuilt that very same year. In 1654, the property passed to the de Carles family through marriage.

In 1892, the ancestors of the Manoncourt family acquired the château, which has remained their property ever since. Thierry Manoncourt took over management in 1947, having produced his first vintage in 1943. Château Figeac was continuously ranked as Premier Grand Cru Classé B from 1955, the date of the very first Saint-Émilion classification. In 2022, it was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A.

The estate is committed to sustainable, environmentally friendly viticulture, certified by Level 3 HVE (High Environmental Value) and ISO 14001. State-of-the-art technical facilities, including new cellars and vat rooms, were inaugurated in 2021.

Appellations

Château Figeac produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation.

Flagship wines

The estate's flagship wine is Château Figeac, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. It is complemented by a second wine, Petit-Figeac, which became the sole second wine starting from the 2012 vintage. Previously, the estate also produced La Grange Neuve de Figeac from 1945 to 2011. Annual production averages between 100,000 and 120,000 bottles for the Grand Vin.

Winemaking and ageing

Vinification takes place in 40 truncated stainless-steel vats and 8 oak vats. A proportion of the fermentation vats are made of wood. Maceration is conducted using submerged-cap techniques, followed by egg-white fining. Ageing typically lasts between 15 and 20 months, carried out entirely in 100% new oak barrels. Bottling takes place at the château. The en primeur wine is marketed through Bordeaux négociants.

Practical information

Château Figeac is located at 3572, route de Libourne, 33330 SAINT-ÉMILION. For any enquiries, the estate can be contacted by telephone on 05 57 24 72 26 or by email at chateau-figeac@chateau-figeac.com.

Visits are available by appointment from Monday to Friday, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The tour includes a discovery of the vineyard, cellars, and vat rooms, followed by a guided tasting of 2 or 3 wines. The tour price for individual visitors is €80 per person. The estate offers PRM access, parking, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning. Tours are conducted in English and Spanish. Accepted payment methods are credit/debit card, cash, and cheque. The château does not offer cellar-door sales, accommodation, or dining facilities.

Learn more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Figeac vineyard covers 41 hectares of planted vines within an overall estate of 54 hectares. The soils consist of deep Günzian gravel over blue clay, complemented by aeolian sands. The vines have an average age of approximately 30 to 45 years.

The grape varieties feature a notably balanced distribution between red varieties: 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 35% Merlot. This composition imparts distinctive structure and complexity to the wines. Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand.