Wine Words & Video Tape

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Château La Tour Figeac

Address: BP 007 33330 St Emilion

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 51 77 62

E-mail: latourfigeac@aol.com

Website: www.latourfigeac.com

Vineyard/Terrior: 14.6 hectares on gravel and sand with a clay subsoil planted with 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. Average age of the vines at La Tour Figeac is 35 years and planted at 6-7000 vines per acre. Classified a Grand Cru Classé.

Winemaking/Elévage: Château La Tour Figeac is aged for 15-18 months in 50-80% new oak depending on the vintage.

Tasting notes:

  • 2015 Mid depth; fresh at edge; nice fresh Merlot aromatics; plums, spices and a little leaf/spice from the Cab Franc; mid weight palate; appetizing style; fresh too. Good effort. [75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 14.5%]. Drink 2020-2028. 90-92
  • 2014 Bold colour; purple at edge; wet rocks; minerals; depth apparent; ripe entry; cherries and black fruit tones; nicely balanced on the palate; spices; good texture; has harmony. Good effort. [75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted UGC 1st April ’15. Drink 2019-2030. 89-91+
  • 2013 Mid depth; saturated look; some VA lift, vanilla notes; spices and some black fruits; inky and slightly medicinal note; chunky and chewy palate but not too dry overall. Will be OK when it settled. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 2016-2025. 85-87
  • 2012 Deep and pretty saturated looking; ripe, lifted red fruit aromatics; strawberry tones; little undergrowth note with some liquorice; forward palate; wine already enjoyable. Soft tannins. Drink now-2022. 89 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated; more red fruits; strawberry and redcurrant jam; confiture; concentrated palate; spices and more plummy tones now; little short on the end compared to La Gaffelière [tasted immediately before!]. 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc 87-88+ UGC Wednesday April 10, 2013
  • 2011 Deep and saturated; open and full; opulent in fact; red fruits [strawberry]; quite big and saturated with fruit on the palate; still manages some grip with chew and acid on the finish. Drink 2015-2025. 88+ UGC Oct ’13 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated colour; lots of red fruits; some cream; summer fruit compote; nice pure red fruits on the palate; depth. Little dryness at the back but should come good. Tasted UGC. 87-88+
  • 2010 Deep and saturated looking; very jammy – strawberry and red fruits tones – lifted; very lush, sweet style; forward and unctuous which kinda works in its coquettish, sexy way. Drink now-2030. 92+ MW Institute Nov ’14 [Earlier not] Deep and saturated look, tight to the edge; thick aroma, red fruits, some freshness with sour cherry, fruit cake and plum. Ripe and thick palate with lots of depth of flavour. Lots of material and extract. Chewy finish. All the elements and they work. 90+ UGC Oct ’12 [Earlier] Mid depth in terms of saturation, but that’s by comparison; ripe spicy nose, some fruit cake, chalk and rock; attractive nose; nice sweet entry, violet fruit tones with spices and density and more mineral/rock notes; very nicely done. Good grip and balance. 90-92+/100 6 April 2011 UGC
  • 2009 Deep and saturated look; some stalky notes, plum and spices; very full; ripe and thick palate with lots of saturation. Lots of material but also lots of tannin. Feels a little over-extracted in the end. Let’s see how this develops. Drink now – 2025. 87. MW Institute Nov ’13 [Earlier note] Deepish colour; strong nose with ripe plums; easy plush wine on the palate; very attractive with plummy fruit, leafy tones and concentration. Maybe not the most complex, this is wonderfully enjoyable and delicious St Emilion. 90-91+/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier] Dense, solid and intense; some alcohol and whiff of VA; lift; clean palate, quite precise; some dry tannins again here; lacks roundness and generosity. Chewy and intense. 88?/100
  • 2008 Dark, mid red, some strawberry, some resin and intensity; palate quite sweet initially but then feels rather dry and extracted at the end. Tannins very dry and over-extracted feel here 84-86?/100 UGC Oct ‘10
  • 2007 Deepish colour; ripe, opulent and sexy on the nose; upfront and lifted; thick and dense and pretty tannic on the palate. Too much extraction here and feels very dry. 86?/100 [Earlier] Mid red; gutsy rather raw fruit; some leaf at edge; not terribly exciting. 82/100 UGC tasting Oct ‘09.

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