2020 Chateau Cormeil-Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 750 ml

The northwest portion of Saint-Émilion, near the border with Pomerol, is some of the most coveted terroir in all of Bordeaux.

Famously, it’s home to Château Cheval Blanc—the real hero of the movie Sideways—which is a $1,000 bucket-list experience. Next door to Cheval Blanc is Figeac, whose history dates back to the Roman era. Cheval Blanc, famously, was carved out of Figeac’s vineyards in the 19th century. Compared to its progeny, Figeac is a steal at $300 a pop.

But Château Cormeil-Figeac was also carved out of Figeac generations ago (the name is a giveaway), but flies under the radar—with insider-pricing to match. You can walk door-to-door between the two wineries in under 15 minutes, and if you could cut through the vines themselves, you’d halve that time. We’re talking just three NYC avenue-blocks between them. Theirs is truly exceptional terroir, with the same clay-limestone soils that define their much more expensive neighbors. 

They have just ten hectares of vineyards, but this Grand Vin comes from their very oldest vines, which were planted by the great-grandparents of the current generation. That makes them some of the oldest vines in Saint-Émilion, and the depth and complexity shows through in this ageworthy bottle. Siblings Coraline Moreaud-McAllan and Victor Moreaud have absolutely revitalized the estate, converting vineyards to organic farming and deepening their commitment to quality.

2020 was an exceptional Bordeaux vintage, and shined especially on the Right Bank, where Saint-Émilion calls home. It was a warm season that Wine Advocate declared “produced brilliant wines” with plush fruit and silky tannins. Cormeil-Figeac’s limestone and clay soils undoubtedly helped mitigate the drought that stressed some vines, and now, five years after that fantastic 2020 harvest, the wine is showing tons of personality, with dark berry flavors, mineral undertones, and enough backbone to develop gracefully with more age.

It’s a bottle worth stocking up on for the next ten years plus. We’ll be watching it evolve, and you should too.