Wines Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Château Tour du Pin Figeac - 2019

Viniou Reviews

Château Tour du Pin Figeac 2019 is a distinguished red wine from the celebrated Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC, nestled in the Libournais subregion of Bordeaux. Crafted predominantly from Merlot, typically blended with a significant proportion of Cabernet Franc, this 2019 vintage exemplifies the house’s refined approach. The vintage benefitted from an ideal growing season with a warm, dry summer balanced by beneficial spring rainfall, resulting in ripe, concentrated berries. The terroir offers a patchwork of gravel and clay-limestone soils, lending depth and complexity to the wine. Vinification is classical, with careful extraction and ageing in French oak barrels, ensuring well-integrated tannins and a harmonious structure.

The broader Saint-Émilion area has a rich vinous history, believed to date back to Roman times, and is famed for its UNESCO-protected village and patchwork of grand estates. The region’s moderate maritime climate, shielded from Atlantic weather by forests and the proximity to the Dordogne River, ensures both sufficient sunlight and cooling breezes, which promote balanced ripening of the grapes. The clay-limestone soils, especially around Figeac, are renowned for imparting freshness, minerality, and longevity to the wines.

For food pairing, the supple tannins and generous dark fruit of this Saint-Émilion Grand Cru call for dishes that echo its elegance and structure. Traditional Bordeaux lamb dishes, such as a slow-roasted rack of lamb with garlic and herbs, would be excellent. For a local touch, try it alongside entrecôte Bordelaise—ribeye steak with a rich red wine and shallot sauce. Mushroom-based dishes, duck breast with cherry sauce, or well-aged cheeses such as Comté or Saint-Nectaire also complement the wine’s nuanced profile.

Serve this wine slightly below room temperature, ideally at 16-18°C, to best appreciate its aromatic complexity and velvety texture. Allow it to breathe for at least an hour before serving to reveal its full bouquet of ripe black fruits, subtle spice, and hints of violet. This 2019 vintage is approachable now but will reward a few more years of cellaring with even greater harmony.