Château La Tour-Figeac

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Château La Tour Figeac is one of the important wineries in the French commune of Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux region . In the hierarchy of red wines of Saint-Émilion, it belongs to the third highest level as Grand Cru Classé (see also the article Bordeaux wine (classification) ).

Location, soil and grape varieties

The château is located in the extreme northwest of the area of ​​the appellation of Saint-Émilion, in the immediate vicinity of Pomerol . The 14.5-hectare, contiguous vineyard benefits from a geological peculiarity: It is located on up to seven meters thick gravel deposits that the Isle River brought from the Massif Central during the Günz Ice Age . Château La Tour-Figeac shares its vineyards with the neighboring Châteaus Cheval Blanc , Figeac and La Dominique .

The completely different soil type from the rest of Saint-Émilion also results in a different grape variety choice. The gravel soil is ideal for the cultivation of Cabernet Franc , which makes up 40% of the vineyard area; the remaining 60% is made up of the ubiquitous Merlot in Saint-Émilion . The planting density is 6,500 vines / hectare, the average age of the vines around 35 years.

The wine

Winemaking has set itself the goal of producing a harmonious wine that expresses the character of its terroir . The vineyards of La Tour-Figeac have been cultivated according to the principles of biodynamic cultivation since 1997 . A strict cut and, if necessary, a "green harvest" limit the yield to 40 hl / ha. The harvest is done manually, the grapes are completely destemmed . When the fermentation cellar was renewed, the stainless steel tanks were replaced by fermentation tanks made of oak. The wine is quickly transferred to oak barrels where it remains for 13-18 months. When bottling, it is not fined and , if possible, not filtered. A total of around 40,000 bottles of Château La Tour-Figeac and 15,000 bottles of the second wine Esquisse de La Tour Figeac are produced annually . They are mainly sold via wholesalers via subscription .

The wine has complex aromas of red and black fruits, underlaid by terroir-typical notes of violet, mint and menthol. Due to its harmony, it is relatively accessible from a young age. However, its tannin structure allows it to develop further over a decade or two without any problems. It is balanced, intense and sustainable. The best vintages in recent times are 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005 and probably also 2009.

history

The vineyards that today belong to La Tour-Figeac were probably already planted in Roman times; there was a 2nd century Gallo-Roman villa called Figeacus . This property existed throughout the Middle Ages and belonged to various leading families in the region. In the 18th century, Élie de Carle expanded this Château Figeac into a large winery. At that time it comprised 250 hectares of vineyards, forests and pastureland. The wine was delivered to wealthy customers across Europe. After his death, however, his widow's lavish lifestyle brought the estate into economic difficulties. Little by little, parts were sold which later became famous wineries: Château Beauregard and Château La Conseillante in Pomerol and Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion. In 1879, Château La Tour-Figeac was also spun off. Two years later, with the separation of Château La Tour du Pin-Figeac, it was divided again into two goods of equal size.

The estate then changed hands several times. Immediately after the last separation, Château La Tour-Figeac belonged to Mr Corbière and later to his son-in-law Émmanuel Boiteau. Boiteau sold the estate to the widow Lassèverie in 1918. In 1973 the German industrialist Otto Rettenmaier bought the property from François Rapin on the advice of his friend Hubertus Graf von Neipperg , but took over the manager Michel Boutet. Boutet also managed the Château Canon-La Gaffelière and Clos de L'Oratoire wineries . In order to arrange his successor in 1994, the owner sent his son Otto jr. to Bordeaux. On site, the son decided to take on the task himself. He has been working with the oenologist Stéphane Derenencourt since 1997 .

literature

  • Charles Cocks, Edouard Féret, Bruno Boidron: Bordeaux et ses vins . 18th edition. Èdition Féret et Fils, Bordeaux 2007, ISBN 978-2-35156-013-6 .
  • Clive Coates : The wines of Bordeaux, Vintages and tasting notes 1952-2003 . 1st edition. University of California Press, Berkeley 2004, ISBN 0-297-84317-6 .
  • Robert Parker : Parker's Wine Guide (=  Collection Rolf Heyne ). Heyne, Munich 2000, ISBN 3-453-16305-2 .