Request a Quote

Château Figeac Winery Guide

Cellar Tours Insight — Since 2003, Cellar Tours has planned private wine journeys through the world’s leading wine regions, pairing tailor-made itineraries with VIP winery visits, fine dining, and expert regional guidance.

Winery Overview

Château Figeac is a regal landmark property in Bordeaux and one of our favorite estates to send our special guests. The quality of its wines and the magnificent Château’s beauty are legendary. The St-Emilion Appellation could not want a better ambassador for the region. The Manoncourt family and their ancestors have been producing wine on this site since the 19th century and today continue to extol the virtues of this idyllic wine paradise.

The property has a long and distinguished history, far longer than its cousins in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. Historical research has shown that a Gallo-Roman Villa stood where the Château lies today, built by the ruler Figeacus. Fast forward a few centuries, and the site was occupied in medieval times by the Lescours family, who owned the rights to this land. Figeac then came under the De Cazes family’s control in the 15th century, who replaced the medieval structure with a Renaissance-style Château at the end of the 16th century. However, Figeac’s modern-day history begins with the Vital Carles family, who built the Château we see today in the 17th century. Before the French Revolution, the Vital Carles was highly successful at marketing the wine to British Merchants, and Figeac found great favor across Northern Europe in the 18th century. The estate grew significantly under their stewardship, reaching 200 hectares in its heyday.

Sadly, during the 19th century, the estate was broken up to pay for the spiraling debts of the Countess de Carle-Trajet, whose neglect, combined with the harsh economic conditions, meant that significant portions of the vineyards were sold to other estates. Interestingly, parts of the legendary property Cheval Blanc were formerly part of the Figeac vineyards. The property languished in obscurity until the Manoncourt’s ancestors acquired Figeac in 1982. When Thierry Manoncourt inherited the property in 1947, he set Figeac back on track to produce splendid wines from some of the region’s most remarkable vineyards. Sadly, Thierry died in 2010, but his hard work is continued today by his daughter and passionate son-in-law, Comte Eric d’Aramon.

This Saint Emilion wine estate has produced splendid wines since the 1950s and has a relatively flawless record of consistency and excellence. Any indifference to Figeac’s wines quickly fades when tasting their old vintages – complex, sumptuous, rich, and long. The estate must be one of the most beautiful and inviting of St-Emilion; imagine a stately and pristine Château attached to a large park; the grounds alone are worth visiting.

Saint Émilion Wine Tour

Saint Émilion Wine Tour

Wander through the medieval Saint Emilion, discover its dynamic wine, and immerse yourself in stunning landscapes. Book now!

View Itinerary

Further Reading

aoc-aop-classifications

French Wine Classifications

July 9, 2024

Discover the rich history and traditions that have shaped French wine production, from the creation of regulated appellations to the rise of natural wines.

Read article

Author

Avatar photo

James Lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

Read more

Private wine travel experts, recommended by leading travel publications

  • National Geographic
  • Condé Nast Traveler
  • Travel + Leisure
  • Frommer's
  • Forbes Travel Guide