TN: Non-conformists: Figeac & Rauzan-Gassies

[chris kissack]

Last week I attended the claret tasting at the Institute of Masters of Wine in London, an annual event which always looks at the vintage from four years before, so this year it was naturally the turn of the 2005 vintage. Strange, then, to find two interlopers in amongst all the other wines, which included Mouton, Lafite, Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Margaux, Cheval-Blanc and Petrus (so not a bad tasting to travel down to London for, even if it does mean a 4:20am alarm to do so).

I spotted the Figeac, which had been pulled from the line-up and was on a separate table, but it was only through the diligence of another that I spotted that the Rauzan-Gassies was the 2006. As to why these two estates chose not to conform top the theme of the tasting, I simply don't know. Perhaps (although very few of the other wines seemed awkward or closed down) they felt their 2005s not to be showing well at the moment?

Chateau Rauzan-Gassies 2006: Bright fruit and toasty oak here. Polished, slightly plump in style, but with appealing aromatics, smoky charcoal. The palate has less substance than a number of other wines especially at the second growth level (although to be fair this was tasted in a room full of other wines from the superb 2005 vintage), with a slightly juicy, loose-knit element to it. A ripe, gentle substance, slightly fleshy texture, and a good tannic core, this certainly shows the good results of recent efforts at Gassies, although it still lags behind its peers. Good grippy finish though. 15+/20

Chateau Figeac 2000: A very elegant nose, curranty, defined, stylish and rich, with a beautiful smoky, green peppercorn element to it alongside the crunchy dark fruit. The palate is surprisingly stark in terms of texture, not fleshy, but certainly full of character backed up by an appealing structure. Attractive iron and bloody meat flavours. This wine, although still showing a lot of structure, with good grip in the finish, already exhibits some very appealing and mature aromatic qualities, but there is more elegance and harmony due on the palate I think. The wise will leave this alone for a while yet...although it certainly gives pleasure now. 17.5+/20

[AlexR]

Hi Chris,

I tend to root for the underdog, and Ruazan-Gassies is definitely in that category... I see that you're pretty go-ahead with the 2006, if not dithyrambic. There is so much potential there... Someday, someone is going to pour a heck of lot of money and expertise into that estate and turn it around. Let us hope this is sooner rather than later...

Figeac: I've visited the estate about a dozen times, and they always pour an old vintage. This may just be part of their philosophy... Good to see this 2000 drinking well now despite its potential. I've always found Figeac peaks earlier than many of the other big boys, which is hardly a criticism. In fact the owner admitted as much to me once.

All the best,
Alex

[chris kissack]

I wouldn't have said dithyrambic...I think the wines underperform in comparison with their peers, in terms of classification and price-point, but equally I think the younger generation of the Quié family now in charge deserve some credit for the work they have done. Although I think they have a lot more to do if they want to make really great wine.

Figeac....tasting well, at any rate, always different to actually sitting back and drinking, with food, of course.

[Blanquito]

I had the 2000 Figeac with Ramon, Dale and Arv back in the summer of '06, and it was sensational.

[Ramon_NYC]

Aaaaah yes, Patrick, thanks for the memory jog., I’ve been trying to remember where/when I had the 2000 Figeac and it was during the Saint Emilion tasting on one of the most humid and muggy day that I can recall. That Figeac showed really really well, as were the other Saint Emilion wines we had then. Since then, I have been on the lookout to purchase and stash this wine, but its price, which has really crept up, has prevented me from doing so.

[chris kissack]

Glad to see so many others like the Figeac 2000, wouldn't complain if I owned some myself!