Château La Tour Figeac
Encyclopedia
Château La Tour Figeac is a Bordeaux wine
estate in the appellation
Saint-Émilion
, ranked Grand cru classé in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine
, and is currently owned by the Rettenmaier family. It is situated between Château Cheval Blanc
and Château Figeac
near the border to Pomerol
.
.
In 1973 the estate was sold by François Rapin to the Rettenmaier family, and it has been managed by Otto Maximilian Rettenmaier since 1994. The technical director is Christine Derenoncourt, with Stéphane Derenoncourt
engaged as a consultant oenologist.
estate, the vineyard
s extend 14.5 hectares (35.8 acre) with a grape variety distribution of 60% Merlot
and 40% Cabernet Franc
.
The annual production of the Grand vin is typically at 3,300 cases, with the production of the second wine, L'Esquisse de La Tour Figeac at 1,250 cases. For the 2000 vintage, the second wine was replaced by a 100% Merlot named Cuvée M00.
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
estate in the appellation
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion AOC
Saint-Émilion is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée for wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne...
, ranked Grand cru classé in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine
Classification of Saint-Émilion wine
In 1955 the wines of Saint-Émilion in the wine-growing region of Bordeaux were classified. Unlike the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 covering wines from the Medoc and Graves regions, the Saint-Émilion list is updated every 10 years or so. Following the initial classification, the...
, and is currently owned by the Rettenmaier family. It is situated between Château Cheval Blanc
Château Cheval Blanc
Château Cheval Blanc , is a wine producer in Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux wine region of France. Its wine is one of only two to receive the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé status in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine of 1955, along with Château Ausone.The estate's second wine is...
and Château Figeac
Château Figeac
Château Figeac is a wine estate in the Saint-Émilion appellation of Bordeaux. It is the largest estate in Saint-Émilion, with of vineyards. Due to its soil, which is dominated by gravel, it is planted in grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon , Cabernet Franc , and Merlot...
near the border to Pomerol
Pomerol
Pomerol is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is located near Bordeaux.-Population:-Wine:The mostly small-sized producers in this area of about produce red wines. As in the neighbouring appellation of Saint-Émilion, the predominant grape variety is Merlot,...
.
History
Until 1879, this property was a part of the Figeac estate, when a 37 hectares (91.4 acre) section was bought by a M. Corbière. Later half the land was sold and further divided into the estates Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix) and Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Giraud-Bélivier)Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Giraud-Bélivier)
Château La Tour du Pin Figeac is a Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation Saint-Émilion, and is currently owned by the Giraud family.- History :...
.
In 1973 the estate was sold by François Rapin to the Rettenmaier family, and it has been managed by Otto Maximilian Rettenmaier since 1994. The technical director is Christine Derenoncourt, with Stéphane Derenoncourt
Stéphane Derenoncourt
Stéphane Derenoncourt is a French vigneron working as a consultant for numerous estates in Bordeaux and other wine producers world wide, with his wife Christine Derenoncourt runs Vignerons Consultants and owns Domaine de l'A in the Côtes de Castillon and Derenoncourt California in Napa Valley...
engaged as a consultant oenologist.
Production
A biodynamicBiodynamic agriculture
Biodynamic agriculture is a method of organic farming that emphasizes the holistic development and interrelationships of the soil, plants and animals as a self-sustaining system. Biodynamic farming has much in common with other organic approaches, such as emphasizing the use of manures and composts...
estate, the vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s extend 14.5 hectares (35.8 acre) with a grape variety distribution of 60% Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
and 40% Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
.
The annual production of the Grand vin is typically at 3,300 cases, with the production of the second wine, L'Esquisse de La Tour Figeac at 1,250 cases. For the 2000 vintage, the second wine was replaced by a 100% Merlot named Cuvée M00.