Château de Millery: a hidden gem in St-Emilion

Since 1892, the name of the Manoncourt family has been inextricably linked to Château Figeac, a Premier Grand Cru Classé B that amply deserves a promotion to the coveted A category in the next update of the St-Émilion Classification scheduled for 2022.

It’s less well-known that, not far from Figeac, the Manoncourt family has for nearly 80 years also owned a hidden jewel in the form of Château de Millery and its tiny vineyard of less than one hectare.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 Château de Millery wines

Located in the commune of St-Christophe-des-Bardes within the St-Emilion Grand Cru appellation area, Millery has clay-limestone soil that is very different from that of Figeac, famous for lying in a sector of gravelly soil, which is unusual for the Right Bank.

Not surprisingly, therefore, the wines of Millery have a rounder, fuller-bodied style than those of Figeac, which stand out for their the crystalline precision and fine-boned structure.

Madame Manoncourt acquired Millery in 1942 while her son Thierry was a prisoner of war in Germany, as an incentive for him to return to St-Emilion once he made it back to France.

This was the same Thierry who would go on to strengthen the reputation of Figeac after taking charge of the estate in 1947, making his mark with an innovative approach to grape-growing and wine-making.

Distinctive terroir

Thierry Manoncourt recognised early on that Millery had its own distinctive terroir, so he was wise enough not integrate it into Figeac, says Blandine de Brier Manoncourt, co-manager of Figeac today but also of Château de Millery, for which she has a special attachment. Thierry’s own special attachment to Millery can be seen on the labels, which he designed himself.

For a long time, Millery was overshadowed by Figeac if only because of its low production – just 4,000 bottles – that was destined for a happy few, mainly the Caves Legrand in Paris or a few restaurants such as Guy Savoy, as well as a small number of aficionados around the world.

The vineyard was restructured in the 1970s and 1980s, and today it benefits from the meticulous care accorded to it by the Château Figeac team under the leadership of the very talented Figeac estate director, Frédéric Faye.

Precise and painstaking attention to detail is the rule both for the viticulture and for the adroit winemaking carried out with the approach of minimalist intervention.

Barrel ageing is done with the same mindful intent so as not to ‘mark the wine with wood,’ in the words of Faye.

How the Château de Millery wines showed in this tasting

This vertical tasting was fascinating, because it provided ample evidence of the efforts undertaken at Millery in recent years.

Since 2009, the wines have become more precise and balanced in their expression of the property’s superlative clay-limestone terroir. The structure has finer contours and the mouthfeel is more harmonious.

Tannins that are finer-grained but still unctuous show the benefit of choosing coopers carefully and managing the essential stage of elevage with a deft hand.

Of course, the 2009 and 2010 vintages are both remarkable, but 2010 has a more perceptible tannic structure.

I must admit to being impressed with the wine from the unloved Bordeaux 2012 vintage for its compelling truffle notes and elegant structure, which can be enjoyed as of now.

Surprisingly, the elegant 2013 – an even more unloved vintage in Bordeaux where ripeness was an issue – has an inkling of a solar style on its nose. As for the 2014, it is quite graphite in character but seems to be going through a phase of austerity.

The 2015 marks a slight evolution in style towards fresher wines with a brighter nose and especially racier tannins providing depth.

The 2016 provides a convincing confirmation of this stylistic trend towards a more tension-filled wine, followed by a pure and crystalline 2017. Meanwhile, the 2018 is a superb expression of limestone soil, filled with those traits including sapidity that many describe as minerality.

Rare appeal

Today, this St-Emilion Grand Cru has shed itself of its cloak of anonymity and can now be found in the international market following the Manoncourt family’s decision to make Château de Millery available to different wine merchants.

The small production remains unchanged, so rarity will be part of its appeal.

This formerly hidden gem deserves the attention of wine enthusiasts around the world, and it will certainly spark interest among those who are particularly fond of wines produced on the clay-limestone soils of St-Emilion.

Château de Millery wines from 2009 to 2018: tasting notes and scores

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