Mid to dark Crimson. Initially not giving much on the nose after decanting. After some time and a lot of swirling in the glass, aromas of black currant and McBaren’s Plum Cake pipe tobacco which I used to smoke at college many decades ago. Unusually for La Dominque this is 100% Merlot with zero Cabernet Franc. Palate is still lively and fresh with a long future ahead. Supple and persistent. La Dominique is surrounded by high profile neighbours with the best parcels bordered by Cheval Blanc. Other neighbours include Figeac, Conseillante and L’Evangile. Will leave the next for 2 or 3 years. — 4 years ago
The olive is the figeac to the echo’s cheval Blanc. Lovely nose. Reminds me of St. Estephe. Black olive, forest floor, spice, cherry fruit, plum, mineral and earth. Just so authentic and what one wants. Palate is juicy and ripe and always with the wonderful structure that enables these wines to age so well. It’s silky yet substantial with terrific purity and a wonderful core of fruit. Really ripe and silky tannins and just brilliant texture. So dense and velvety, with brilliant freshness and just that hint of rusticity which is what defines the character of the Clos de L’Olive. A great wine and one of my favorite Chinons. — 6 years ago
A lovely, rich and balanced wine. Young and taut but not austere. 100% organic and indigenous yeasted, all stainless. Merlot from Fruili but 70+ yo vines. Lovely depth and concentration, more earthy than fruity. Has a bit of that plum character but also a bit of underbrush, funk and clay to the nose. Complex and interesting. This could use some time to mellow out a bit, but reminds me of an old school Figeac young and without oak, which is an interesting proposition. — 6 years ago
This 2015 is a great value. A little thin mid palate, but a very good bordeaux representation for around $20 USD — 7 years ago
The 2019 Angélus was bottled in September 2021, later than many other wines of this vintage. This is very precise on the nose, offering blackberry, dried iris petals, a little graphite and a touch of oyster shell, and the marine influence is more noticeable than before. The palate is beautifully balanced, the 40% Cabernet Franc very expressive and squarely in the driving seat. It lends this wine ample freshness and, as mentioned before, makes it stylistically quite akin to Château Figeac. Displaying fine structure toward the finish, this Angélus is full of tension thanks to a pH of 3.60 (previously, it was around pH 3.85, according to Hubert de Boüard) and comes with a very sustained finish. Seriously impressive, though it will require patience. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Stellar Wine…. — 4 years ago
A delightful mix of gentle perfume and sweet taste on the tongue. — 5 years ago
The 2010 Lafleur is showing a lot of Cabernet Franc on the nose. It is supremely well defined with incredibly clarity and terroir expression. You could almost mistake it for a Left Bank. Figeac? The palate is precise and detailed, touches of burnt toast and white pepper sprinkled over the persistent and structured finish that does not miss a step. Brilliant. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2020)
— 5 years ago
Great wine with tannins, decant to fully explore and enjoy. — 6 years ago
A bold red — 7 years ago
Tonight we have opened the 2009 Chateau La Tour du Pin. This is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. This property was owned by Antoine Mouiex from 1947 to 2006 when the owners of Cheval Blanc purchased it from the Mouiex family. The name was officially changed in 2008 from La Tour du Pin Figeac to Chateau La Tour du Pin. The same Technical Team responsible for producing wine of Cheval Blanc is now in charge of wines at La Tour du Pin. I am inclined just from this fact alone to be keeping my eyes on this Chateau. If you are a fan of Cheval Blanc this is where you can get your bang for the buck.
On the nose there is vibrant aromas of wonderful black fruit, black cherry, blackberry, black plum, black currant and licorice.
On the palate is good black fruit, black cherry, blackberry, black plum, green bell pepper, herbal notes and nice minerality.
The wine is medium to full bodied with medium acidity and smooth medium sandy tannins that is well balanced and has a pleasingly long finish. I am truly enjoying this wine that is brightening up my weekend. Please be safe and have a continued great weekend. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 8 years ago
2010 Bordeaux zoom tasting with Lisa Perrott-Brown, editor in chief for RP Wine Advocate. The wines have been shut down, some waking up...big wines with volume turned up on everything (tannin, acidity, alcohol), structured, and should cellar for many years.
2010 Pichon Baron. RP 96
2010 Leoville Las Cases. RP 97
2010 Palmer. RP 96
2010 Pape Clement. RP 100
2010 Figeac. RP 97
2010 Trotanoy. RP 97 — 3 years ago
Vintage 2015 | 85% merlot 15% cabernet franc Surprisingly open and with velvety tannins, good to drink now. Spicyness in smell, plums, cedar and tobacco, a very serious and rich smell. The concentration is better than what I expected, a truly fine example of a Petit Bordeaux with ambition from the family Bourotte-Figeac | Paired with Zoervleisj, a regional stewed beef speciality, baked potatoes and salads — 5 years ago
Had this with the filet served on our last leg of flying home on Emirates.
This is Figeac’s second wine. Starting with the 2012 vintage going forward, this wine was renamed Petit Figeac.
The nose reveals, soft, slightly muted; blackberries, black cherries, black plum skin, plum, black raspberries & floral purple fruit mix. There’s a good presence of well layered baking spices; cinnamon, soft clove & nutmeg, vanilla, mocha powder, light caramel, dark cola currants, dry clay & top soil, dry stones, sandstone minerals, leathery notes, hints of graphite, anise, dark rich soil, fruit tea with dark red, purple flowers with violets that are slightly withering.
The body is not quite full with dry, fine earthy tannins. The mouthfeel is warm and ripe. It shows beauty & elegance. The structure, soft tension, length and balance reveal the quality of the 09 vintage. Ripe; blackberries, black cherries, black plum skin, plum, creamy black raspberries & floral purple fruit mix. Nicely layered baking spices; cinnamon stick, soft clove & nutmeg, vanilla, mocha powder, light caramel, dark & milk chocolate, dark cola currants, dry clay & top soil, dry stones, powdery, dry crushed rocks, sandstone minerals, cedar, leathery notes, hints of graphite, fresh, soft tobacco, anise, dark rich soil, fruit tea with dark red, purple flowers with violets, lavender that are fresh and slightly withering. The acidity is round excellent. The long finish is good but still needs five or more years to further integrate and soften. It shows a somewhat earthy dominance over fruit. but, it’s still very nice and persistent for minutes. 91 now and room for two to three points more down the road.
If you can still find this at a reasonable price, buy it. It’s going really beautiful in five more years.
Photos of; Chateau Figeac, my Emirates filet, which actually pretty good considering it was airline prepared, both sides of their lounge in Business Class. — 6 years ago
Nickel top — 9 years ago
Stefan Dolhain
1985 vintage. A nice surprise and another testimony to the ageing potential of the great 1985 vintage. Still a solid colour at 37 years old. Smoke and cedar wood, good concentration of dried fruits and spices. There is complexity and length, well worth seeking out if you like older wines. — 2 years ago