Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Giraud-Bélivier)

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Château La Tour du Pin Figeac is a Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation Saint-Émilion, and is currently owned by the Giraud family.

Bordeaux wine Wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France

A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France. Bordeaux is centered on the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the broad estuary called the Gironde and covering the whole area of the Gironde department,with a total vineyard area of over 120,000 hectares, making it the largest wine growing area in 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. The vast majority of wine produced in Bordeaux is red, with sweet white wines, dry whites, and rosé and sparkling wines collectively making up the remainder. Bordeaux wine is made by more than 8,500 producers or châteaux. There are 54 appellations of Bordeaux wine.

<i>Appellation dorigine contrôlée</i> French protected geographic appellation

The appellation d'origine contrôlée 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 des appellations d'origine, now called Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO). It is based on the concept of terroir.

Saint-Émilion AOC

Saint-Émilion is an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne. Saint-Émilion is registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Contents

History

Until 1879, this property was a part of the Figeac estate, acquired to form Château La Tour Figeac, which was further sold and divided into two parts, this property and that of Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix). [1]

Château Figeac winery

Château Figeac is a wine estate in the Saint-Émilion appellation of Bordeaux. It is the largest estate in Saint-Émilion, with 40 hectares of vineyards. Due to its soil, which is dominated by gravel, it is planted in grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Cabernet Franc (35%), and Merlot (30%). Most other Saint-Émilion wines are dominated by Merlot, and Figeac therefore bears a certain semblance to the wines of Médoc and Graves despite being situated on Bordeaux's right bank. The wine, which is one of the most famous of Saint-Émilion, is aged in 100% new oak barrels.

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.

Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix), later Château La Tour du Pin for a brief period, is a former Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation Saint-Émilion which produced wine up until 2011. The estate was purchased by owners of neighbouring Château Cheval Blanc in 2006, who managed the estate as a separate property up until 2011. The estate in effect ceased to exist after this, being absorbed into its grander neighbour.

Bought in 1923 by M. G. Bélivier, the Giraud family acquired the property in 1972. [1] The Moueix property of the same name was sold to Château Cheval Blanc in 2006, who renamed it and later absorbed it, [2] so the Giraud property is now the only Château La Tour du Pin Figeac.

Château Cheval Blanc, is a wine producer in Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux wine region of France. As of 2012, its wine is one of only four to receive the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine, along with Château Angélus, Château Ausone, and Château Pavie.

The estate was rated Grand Cru Classé in the original Classification of Saint-Émilion wine, but lost this status in 2006, [3] only to have the verdict reversed in 2008. [4] Château La Tour du Pin Figeac was excluded from the 2012 classification, and its appeal failed. [5]

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 Médoc and Graves regions, the Saint-Émilion list is updated every 10 years or so. Following the initial classification, the list was updated in 1969, 1986, 1996 and most recently in 2006. However the 2006 classification was declared invalid following a series of legal actions, and the 1996 version of the classification has been reinstated for the vintages from 2006 to 2009.

Production

The vineyards extend to 11 hectares (27 acres). [1]

Vineyard Plantation of grape-bearing vines

A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture.

The Grand vin is typically a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc.

Merlot dark blue-colored variety of wine-making grape

Merlot is a dark blue-colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.

Cabernet Franc grapevine that yields black grapes used for wine

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. In addition to being used in blends and produced as a varietal in Canada and the United States, it is sometimes made into ice wine in those regions.

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Château la Tour du Pin Figeac may refer to two Bordeaux wine estates in Saint-Émilion:

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Peppercorn, David (2003). Bordeaux. London: Mitchell Beazley. pp. 464–465. ISBN   1-84000-927-6.
  2. ↑ Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix)
  3. ↑ Brook, Stephen, Decanter.com (2006-09-08). "New St Emilion classification: surprises but no shocks".
  4. ↑ Macle, Diana, Wine Spectator (July 29, 2008). "French Government Reinstates St.-Emilion Classification—Sort Of".
  5. ↑ Classification of Saint-Émilion wine
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