2016 CHÂTEAU D'ISSAN 3ème Cru Classé Margaux, Lea & Sandeman

CHÂTEAU D'ISSAN

2016 3ème Cru Classé Margaux

Grapes Merlot, Cab Sauv
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Village Margaux
Classification 3ème Cru Classé
ABV 13%

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot. We liked D'Issan a lot in 2015. The wine didn’t feel as ample as its neighbours and the 2016 is demonstrably going the same way except with even more freshness, precision and elegance. Cabernet clearly triumphed for d'Issan in this vintage. Lots of black cherry, sweet plum build in the wine, the tannins tensile, acidity bright. There was far more energy and bounce and it promises to be extremely good in the years to come and reflects a new vigour and seriousness implemented by owner Emmanuel Cruse at this very beautiful Château, with illustrious neighbour Château Margaux, spied from their drawing room window, adding to the pressure no doubt. Rating: 92-94 L&S (Apr 2017)


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The 2016 d’Issan has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, violets, rose petal and light undergrowth aromas, displaying fine lift and great intensity. The medium-bodied palate offers fine-grained tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and vibrant, with a very harmonious, elegant and persistent finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Aug 2020)

I loved the 2016 Château d'Issan and this is a certainly a wine to seek out. Made from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot from yields of 55 hectoliters per hectare, aged 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, etc.) as well as hints of graphite, subtle oak, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity, a terrific mid-palate, and perfect balance, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to cruise in good cellars for 20-25 years or more. It’s a beautiful, elegant, seamless wine that’s very much in the style of the vintage. Drinking range: 2023 - 2048 Rating: 94+ Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Feb 2019)

Just as it was from barrel, the 2016 d'Issan is bold and succulent. Dark cherry, iron, smoke, tobacco, leather and dried rose petal all fill out nicely in a supple, easygoing Margaux. The 2016 will benefit from another few years in bottle, although it is nevertheless quite fine, even in the early going. It will be interesting to see how much complexity the 2016 gains in bottle. Today, it is a bit simple, and yet my feeling is that the wine has something more to say. Drinking range: 2024 - 2041 Rating: 92 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)

Château d'Issan

Margaux Troisième cru 1855 When Pierre l'Essenault inherited what became Château d'Issan through his marriage in the mid-17th Century, he knocked down the old castle that stood on the site and built the present château. He also gave it its name, these days somewhat abridged. During the 18th Century, part of the estate was divided away and became today's Château Palmer. In 1945, Château d'Issan was bought by Emmanuel Cruse who bought a run-down estate, ravaged by Depression and War with only 2ha of working vineyard. The vineyards now occupy 53ha, planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Wines typically spend 18 months in wood. In 2013 Jacky Lorenzetti, who owns Lilian Ladouys, bought 50% of d'Issan to become co-owner with the Cruse family. Château d'Issan is among the fullest and richest Margaux's, a facet which sometimes in the past has suggested a lack of charm. Indeed, the Cruse family's care and attention to d'Issan has taken many years to bear fruit, with the wines only returning to top-flight quality in the latter years of the 20th Century. They are now among the better wines in the appellation and well worth their 3rd Growth status. There is a second wine at Château d'Issan called Blason d'Issan. Château d'Issan also includes some vines which fall outside the Margaux appellation - Château de Candale, Haut-Médoc and Moulin d'Issan, Bordeaux Supérieur.

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