| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
This 55 hectare Margaux property is planted a majority Cabernet Sauvignon, with a good proportion of Merlot. Newly purchased plots containing old vines of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot have been added to the blend from 2020. The Cruse family brought in new investment in 2013 from M Lorenzetti who has also purchased Pedesclaux in Pauillac and Lafon Rochet in Saint Estephe. Recent vintages have performed very well in blind tastings at Southwold.
The 2022 D'Issan has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of minty cassis, rose petals, pencil shavings and vine smoke. Medium to full-bodied, suave and velvety, it's deep, complex and well-balanced, with a sweet core of fruit and ripe structuring tannins. It's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. 2027 - 2055
The 2022 Château d'Issan, the first to utilize the new cuvier equipped with smaller vats, has a well-defined nose that is far superior to the Moulin d'Issan. The gap between the two is wider compared to other properties. It features black fruit, touches of espresso and graphite on the nose, with none of the dark chocolate aroma that I observed from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry and quite firm tannins. This is classic in style, a cool and linear d'Issan that, like others, you would not guess was born in a hot vintage. With good depth and grip on the finish, this is a spicy d'Issan that will develop well in bottle. Afford it five to seven years before broaching if you can. 2032 - 2052
Deep purple colour, this has a seductive blueberry compote and cherry pie nose with a whiff of vanilla. Plush and rounded yet focused and fine, this has the flesh and freshness in one. Sweet baked vanilla, vibrant, juicy black cherries and nutmeg drive through the middle, with very slick, succulent and ripe tannins giving a cashmere texture. Very long, broad and fine.
This is really luxurious, showing blackcurrants and orange peel with cedar and dried-mushroom aromas following through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate. This has crunchy and lightly chewy tannins that are slightly austere but in an elegant, classical Bordeaux way. Chewy at the end. So much energy and vibe. So complex. Probably the greatest wine ever from here. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot. Best after 2028 but already a joy to taste.
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot, with a yield of 30 hl/ha and aging in 50% new oak, d’Issan 2022 has a pH of 3.67 and a TPI of 72. It is deep garnet-purple in color and comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of crème de cassis, baked blackberries, and plum preserves, plus suggestions of tilled soil, clove oil, candied violets, and charcoal. The full-bodied palate has a firm structure of wonderfully ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely tension supporting the dense, muscular black fruits, with a long finish and loads of floral and mineral sparks. Beautiful!
Grips from the outset, spiced sandalwood, incense, cumin, graphite, black pepper, a ton of personality and confidence, juicy savoury black fruits, character, intensity, grip and lift, impressive. Love the character of this wine. Issan had been using five grapes in the blend since the 2020 vintage. 50% new oak.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. Cask sample.
Reserved, dark-fruit aroma. Certainly has substance but misses a little Margaux fragrance. Powerful tannic frame but the tannins refined. Drives on the finish. Slight glow of alcohol but finds a balance. Solid but needs a little more panache. (JL) 14.6%
Drink 2028– 2040
The 2022 D'Issan is a lovely wine that will delight Médoc purists, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, burning embers, violets and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with velvety tannins and a deep core of vibrant fruit, it's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The estate is now equipped with a battery of 20-hectoliter tanks, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting this year.
The 2022 Château d'Issan was picked between 15 and 28 September and represents the first vintage vinified in the new vat room equipped with smaller 20-hectolitre vats. It has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry and blueberry fruit, crushed violet and a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. This is one of the more saline wines on the Left Bank, cohesive with a touch of Japanese nori on the moderate-length finish. This will need a decade in bottle. 2032-2052
This is one hell of an Issan with blackberry, blackcurrant, and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Cherries. Cedar. Full and intense with tannins that are long and bright. Goes tight at the end, indicating greatness. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot.
Fragrant dried cumin and turmeric spices on the opening, along with floral waves of rose petals, this maintains the finesse of Issan, delivering estate signature alongside fleshy blackberry and baked damson fruits, with waves of liquorice, graphite and crushed rocks. The oldest vines are kept for the 1st wine, and almost 80% of the new plots of Pontac Lynch are included here in Issan, giving a darker spiced character than you find in other hot vintages at this estate such as 2009. They almost pulled up the Malbec when they bought Pontac Lynch but it has once again proved its worth. 30hl/h yield (compared to 38hl/h last year). 3.67ph. 72IPT. Eric Boissenot consultant. 50% new oak.
