Another brilliant wine from the genius of Frédéric Faye, the 2016 Château Figeac checks in as 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in new French oak. Roughly 75% of the production made it into the grand vin. This deeply colored beauty is a legendary wine in the making and offers ultra-pure aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, dried herbs, chocolate, truffle, and graphite. Showing more violets notes with time in the glass, it builds incrementally on the palate, with flawless balance as well as incredible elegance, no hard edges, and a finish that won't quit. Readers will have a blast comparing the 2016 and 2015 vintages over the coming 3-4 decades and this estate is firing on all cylinders. This will most likely merit a triple-digit rating in 7-8 years and keep for 4 decades or more. - jebdunnuck.com, February 2019

The 2016 Figeac is comprised of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little broody and reticent at this very youthful stage, slowly unfolding to reveal profound plum preserves, crème de cassis, black raspberries and star anise with hints of moss-covered bark, truffles and tilled loam plus a waft of red currants and raspberry leaves sparks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is practically quivering with energy, offering glimpses at tightly wound black fruit and mineral/ferrous layers, framed by very firm, ripe tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with the spices coming through. This will need a good 7-8 years to come round and then should cellar for 40+ years. Very serious, beautifully poised and sophisticated personality this vintage.

Returning to its best after some years in the wilderness, Figeac is an unusual St Emilion due to its equal balance of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It could only be Figeac - the lovely peppercorn and green pepper notes combine with ripe blackcurrant and cherry fruit. Lovely energetic palate with spice, silkiness and great tension. Power, brightness, finesse - it's so linear and precise. The finish has superb minerality which gives a great sense of place. - April 2017

A gutsy, fully endowed wine, brimming with dark currant, warm fig and steeped blackberry notes, as well as waves of smoldering tobacco and warm gravel. Features a serious bass line, but everything works together, while flecks of savory and iron dart in and out. JM

This is a very linear and driven Figeac with smooth and fine tannins. Full-bodied, yet compact and reserved. Blackberry, chocolate and hazelnut flavors. Direct and structured. A blend of 38% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, and 26% cabernet franc.

The 2016 Figeac has been super-impressive on both occasions I have tasted it so far. A big wine, the 2016 exudes depth and power. Even so, the forbidding tannins are almost shockingly buried by the sheer intensity and purity of the fruit. Graphite, savory herbs, smoke, menthol, licorice and smoke are some of the many accents that infuse the huge finish. As good as the 2016 is today, it is clearly for readers who can afford to be patient, as it will likely be many years before the wine is ready to drink. Technical Director Frédéric Faye, consulting winemaker Michel Rolland and the team have done a superb job with the 2016. - vinous.com, April 2017

Lively and very Figeac. Just as it should be. Zesty and confident and of the place. Rich palate entry and then lovely freshness. Firm and glorious. Like an arrow. Very pure. Frédéric Faye and the Manoncourt family should be very proud. Classic. Racy and juicy and beautifully balanced. Long. Drink 2024-2040. - jancisrobinson.com, April 2017

Heart-stopping from start to finish, here you have a wealth of perfectly ripe, silky fruits that come in non-stop waves and layers. Purity, silkiness, energy, and cashmere tannins with a seamless finish that easily breaks the 60-second mark and keeps on going. This is one of those special wines that is destined to become a legend in a decade or two. If you have some in your cellar, you are sitting on liquid gold. If you do not have any, and if you have disposable income, grab a few bottles or a case. Drink from 2026-2060. The wine was made by blending 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 26% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2060. Tasted July 2022

The 2016 Figeac reveals itself to a stunning wine from the very first whiff, such is its aromatic precision and vivacity, offering a cavalcade of scents including cedar, menthol, crunchy black fruits including blackcurrant along with a touch of truffles and pepper as well as other spices. On the palate, the wine asserts itself with a powerful, upright structure without any heaviness whatsoever, as the tannic framework is so finely drawn and elegantly proportioned. Its expression is certainly less exuberant than that of its 2018 counterpart, but this wine is a paragon of precision as well as of thoroughbred poise and energy. This is an immense Figeac of true grandeur that will stay the distance for up to five decades while giving precocious pleasure to impatient enthusiasts. Drinking Window 2025 - 2050
Tasted by Yohan Castaing (at Château Figeac, 20 Sep 2021)
Part of Tasting Château Figeac: 17 vintages from 1947 to 2019

The 2016 Figeac was bottled at the end of July 2018, since Frédéric Faye wanted to give the wine more time in barrel to develop more harmony. The stunning 24-carat bouquet rivets you to the spot with brilliant delineation and mineral-rich red fruit that articulates its terroir as well as any Right Bank you will find. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannin, perfect acidity, wonderfully integrated new oak and enormous depth toward the fresh, pencil-box- and cedar-infused finish. This is a classic Figeac, up there with the 1947 and 1949, both recently re-tasted and testifying to a wine that genuinely belongs among the elite Saint-Émilions. Faye believes it is the best Figeac he has ever made. He is correct.
Vinous, Jan 2019