Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

From the Manoncourt, owner of Figeac. Opened tonight with bavette à l'échalote. Watching the 50th SuperB.

Nic

This wine is a touch down.

Complex nose of confit rasberries, red berries, earth, cinnamon, blackberries, and green tobacco leaf. Refined nose. Mouth is very complex but also surely balanced. Complex mixture of dark red berries, rasberries, leaf, spices, leather, with complex tannins, freshness, low 13.5 % alcohol. Long spicy, cinnamon, fruit and light oak. Very complex. There is something mineral and meaty too. A glorious Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, at a super price. Congratulations to the Manoncourt. I think this is on par with the Chateau Fleur Cardinale. Maybe more refined, a super wine. I guess this will get even more interesting in 7-8 years. TN: 92.

We did not talked a lot of the visit at Figeac at BWE 2015, but it was a nice regular visit, and I enjoyed highly the wine they made us tasted. I can't remember the vintage (was it 2011 or 2012?) but it was a highy enjoyable complex elegant Saint-Émilion.

Nic

That game was as boring as a '93 Batailley.

Bavette à l'échalote is one of my very favorite comfort foods.
The cut is chewey, but very tasty.
And it goes along beautifully with a good tannic red wine.

I believe it is hanger steak in US English and skirt steak in British English.

When young, I found many Right Bank wines had an overly-alcoholic taste.
But perhaps this impression has lessened with age.

Alex R.

Unfortunately, Nic, that wine seems not to be available in the USA.

Jim, I liked the defensive struggle. The Aggie was amazing! I worked during the boring halftime while Lucie watched. Fortunately, she fell asleep shortly thereafter and I was able to fast forward through most of the commercials in the second half.

Nicklasss wrote:This wine is a touch down.

Complex nose of confit rasberries, red berries, earth, cinnamon, blackberries, and green tobacco leaf. Refined nose. Mouth is very complex but also surely balanced. Complex mixture of dark red berries, rasberries, leaf, spices, leather, with complex tannins, freshness, low 13.5 % alcohol. Long spicy, cinnamon, fruit and light oak. Very complex. There is something mineral and meaty too. A glorious Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, at a super price. Congratulations to the Manoncourt. I think this is on par with the Chateau Fleur Cardinale. Maybe more refined, a super wine. I guess this will get even more interesting in 7-8 years. TN: 92.

We did not talked a lot of the visit at Figeac at BWE 2015, but it was a nice regular visit, and I enjoyed highly the wine they made us tasted. I can't remember the vintage (was it 2011 or 2012?) but it was a highy enjoyable complex elegant Saint-Émilion.

Nic

Thanks for the note Nic.

We had the 2011 at the estate. We didn't discuss it much afterwards but I think it was one of the best wines of the tour. I think it is a really stylish and classical Figeac, with nothing forced. I think I am right in saying it was the Comte D'Aramon's last vintage before he got his marching orders. I missed out on snagging a case of this quite cheaply, and have been on the look out. He made excellent wine in 2006/7/8 too.The 2011 trades at a significant premium to the 2012 vintage in the UK, which was the first in which M. Rolland came in as a consultant. Fred Faye told us MR has no influence. Well in 2012 MR chose the blend by dialling down the Cab Sav to 20%. However it gets good reviews. I think Jeff Leve rated the 2011 88 points and the 2012 93 points noting an immediate significant improvement with the change of regime.

Increasing the merlot/cabernet sauvignon ratio seems to be a pretty common prescription these days regardless of the patient or the condition. Something of a cure-all.