2020 Chateau Figeac, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France.

Château-Figeac 2020: the symphony continues

This year 2020 will be remembered as a year punctuated by strategic choices and adaptations to weather conditions characterized by persistent mildness in winter, heatwaves in summer, and very contrasting rainfall. The 2020 vintage of Château-Figeac is 2 to 3 weeks early, from budburst until harvest.

HARVEST DATE
from September 4 to October 1

ASSEMBLY
37% Merlot
32% Cabernet Franc
31% Cabernet Sauvignon

CLIMATOLOGY AND HARVEST CONDITIONS
An early vintage from start to finish. After a very rainy autumn, winter set in, particularly marked by hot and dry weather. The mildness lasts throughout a humid spring which allows the vines to build up water reserves necessary during the summer. These conditions were very favorable for the early awakening as well as the growth of the vines: after a few risks of frost controlled by the team and ultimately without consequences, budburst was observed between March 15 and 21, i.e. 2 weeks later. earlier than normal. A few cool and humid episodes in April and May accentuate the health pressure. It is through constant efforts, but always without deviating from our environmental commitments, that our teams have been able to preserve the perfect condition of the vineyard. Flowering took place in optimal conditions, in hot and dry weather, around May 14, 10 days ahead of the average of the last 10 years, placing this vintage among the earliest. Despite cooler temperatures in June, the vines maintained their advance: veraison appeared in mid-July under intense heat and in the depths of drought. Heatwave without water stress and strategic choices The summer is hot and at times scorching with a peak of temperatures above 40°C on August 7. In 54 days, between June 19 and August 11, only 6.5 mm of rain was recorded. Good choices made upstream (light leaf stripping, superficial plowing, green harvests adapted to the potential of each vine) allow each plot to progress in its vegetative cycle, calmly. At the beginning of August, all the clusters were glazed, in sometimes stifling heat but without any obvious sign of water stress. The water supply has never been truly deficient thanks to deep root establishment allowing the vineyard to continue its maturation. Freshness and aromatic expression The ripening of the grapes in August takes place in ideal conditions: high temperatures, long periods of sunshine, and cooler nights than in July which restart the accumulation of sugars in the pulp and Anthocyanins in the skin. , while slowing the degradation of acids. Surprisingly, the seeds are ripe as early as August. The harvest begins on September 4 and lasts 4 weeks. The blending is once again anticipated in the vineyard. The aromatic freshness of the berries is preserved by harvesting certain plots early for each of the grape varieties while waiting for other parts of the vineyard which will bring flesh and texture to the wine.

Gentle extractions
In the vat room, vinification takes place (without sulfur) gently, to be in phase with the phenolic maturity of the grapes. Each vat has its own vinification route in order to highlight this great vintage. The material is respected without rushing it.