Château Belregard Figeac, Saint Emilion Grand Cru

Sourcing wine in Bordeaux always makes me feel like goldilocks. Of the nearly 10,000 different  vintage wines released each year, it remains difficult to source young red Bordeaux that doesn’t feel somehow awkward and premature. And when exploring the seemingly endless diversity of the region’s mature, cellar-aged reserve wines, it’s still quite challenging to find reds that don’t feel fatigued or overly-oaked. So, in the rare instance I encounter a bottle that truly hits the sweet spot, you better believe I jump on it! Such is the case with today’s 2018 Château Belregard Figeac Saint Emilion Grand Cru: this bottle has the perfect bullseye balance of youthful fruit, cellar aged aromatic depth, and a barrel program that ensures a long, flattering evolution in your cellar. You can’t go wrong here.

Chateau Belregard-Figeac is a historic Saint-Émilion estate with roots stretching back to the late 19th century. Located on the prestigious "Figeac plateau" near the border of Pomerol, the property is beloved for its unique terroir of gravel and sand, which provides the ideal conditions for its high proportion of Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines (and a small, single digit percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon). Over the decades, the chateau has earned a reputation for producing elegant, age-worthy wines that reflect the classic refinement of the Right Bank.

The Pueyo family has owned and operated Château Belregard-Figeac for over 170 years, maintaining continuous family stewardship since 1853. While the family has a three-century history in winemaking within the Libournais region, Belregard-Figeac has served as their ancestral home and primary estate for five generations. In 2010, the winery entered a new era when Christophe Pueyo took over management from his father, Jacques, and his uncle, Jean-Paul. Under Christophe’s leadership, the family transitioned to organic viticulture (certified in 2013) and adopted biodynamic practices in 2017. This shift reflects the Pueyo family’s commitment to evolving their historical heritage through low-intervention techniques, such as using large foudres (from the superb Austrian cooperage Stockinger no less) and amphorae to produce wines that emphasize the pure expression of their Saint-Émilion terroir

The 2018 Château Belregard-Figeac is a soulful Saint-Émilion Grand Cru that greets the nose with a seductive, richly spiced bouquet of blackcurrant, tobacco, French roast coffee, and baking spice. Oak aromas (born from 25% neutral barrel and 25% new barrels, combined with 50% concrete aging) are tastefully integrated into the wine’s terroir and fruit character. On the palate, this full-bodied red reveals concentrated layers of ripe plum, black cherry, and red currant, all supported by a silky texture and graceful, fine-grained tannins. If enjoying today, please decant for 30 minutes and serve at 64°F. To fully capture its aromatics, use a large-bowled Bordeaux glass, which allows the wine’s intricate notes of graphite and cedar to express themselves with optimal clarity. The sweet fruit of this 2018 vintage is particularly well-suited for a seared duck breast. But don’t forget. This bottle has at least another 8-10 years of evolution and magic, so be sure to set aside a few bottles to savor in the years ahead.