Chateau Figeac 2010

JAMES SUCKLING: "Intense aromas of wet earth, leaves, sweet berries and cinnamon follow through to a full body, velvety and dense tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Opulent style. Just opening now, but this shows lots of stuffing, even if it does tighten down on the palate. Integrated and fine. Drink or hold."

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Purpur. Geniales Bouquet, feine Kräuternoten, rote Pflaumen und Johannisbeeren, Ruby- Port-Nuancen, sehr homogen im Ansatz. Eleganter Gaumenbeginn, viel Souplesse und stoffiges, veloursartiges Extrakt, guter Rückhalt, zeigt Parallelen zum 2001er. Es gibt wenige 2010er-Crus, die so harmonisch und charmant auftreten. Wer in diesem Budgetrahmen Weine sucht, muss ihn auf die Einkaufsliste nehmen."

DECANTER: "Another brilliant wine, where you start to get lulled into a false sense of security that Bordeaux always tastes like this. But it doesn't. Okay, Figeac does more often than most, but even here this is exceptional. The silky texture is evident, but overall this Cabernet dominant is packed with dark berry fruits, firm tannins and a menthol wash through the finish. Liquorice, cassis, blackberry, chocolate, all knitted together and ready to go. They have stepped up another level in recent years, but this gives ample evidence of why Figeac has always been an estate to take extremely seriously."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarter Wasserrand. Reifes Kirschkonfit, dunkle Beeren unterlegt, zarte schokoladige Nuancen, etwas verhalten im Moment. Komplex und saftig, extraktsüße Textur, stoffig und elegant, sehr gut integrierte Tannine, verfügt über eine große Länge, schokoladig und anhaltend, sicheres Reifepotenzial, ein Vin de Garde, der das Potenzial dieses Gewächses eindrucksvoll unterstreicht."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wine always stands out as a powerhouse of impressive tannins. In 2010, it is complex with a dense structure, tight mineral texture and dense wood. Underneath, the ripe black fruits bring the promise for the long-term future. Give this wine at least 10 years."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is very tight, showing a prominent roasted apple wood and bittersweet cocoa frame more today, though the core of dense currant paste, blackberry pâte de fruit and plum sauce waits in reserve. Gorgeous singed spice, anise and toasted fig bread notes flitter through the finish, though this needs some time in the cellar to resolve itself fully. A very distinctive, structured expression of St.-Emilion. Best from 2016 through 2035. 7,500 cases made."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Tasted at the Château Figeac vertical at the property and then in Bordeaux a year later. The 2010 Figeac was a "problem child" in its youth, very variable and difficult to pin down, vexing on occasion. Now with a couple of years in bottle, it is really beginning to show what it can do and it far surpassed my expectations. Certainly, it is more withdrawn on the nose compared to the more generous 2009 Figeac. The aromatics are holding everything back. Then, with continued aeration it reveals a subtle marine influence—seaweed and sea spray scents, estuary mudflats. The palate is medium-bodied with moderate depth, but what really distinguishes this wine are the fineness of the tannin, the symmetry of the structure and freshness on the finish, facets hitherto kept secret. As such, it surpasses the 2009, the weightless but intense finish beckoning you to take another sip. The aromatics need to up their game and match what's evolving on the palate—if they do, this will be a very serious Figeac. Tasted July 2016."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Fresh herbs, dark ripe berries, licorice, cassis and green peppercorn aromas fill the perfume. Full bodied, tannic and slightly austere in character, with intensity, licorice and bright black cherry flavors, this is a successful vintage for the traditionally styled Figeac."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Deep smudgy garnet. Smoky, maybe a touch reductive even now? Elegant in its maturity. Finely textured, complex, spicy and long. Deep and rich. Still has tension even with the chocolatey aftertaste."