Château d'Issan Margaux 2020 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé (magnum)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Half the vineyard is owned by the Cruse family, the other half by Jacky Lorenzetti, who obviously have great ambitions for it. Surrounded by walls, the fifty-hectare vineyard is situated on a first-class terroir, which explains the wine's remarkable aromatic finesse, and its consistency despite the frequent climatic vagaries of recent vintages. With even more rigorous selection, it could match its prestigious Palmer neighbor, albeit with a different character.

Decanter

About the wine:

The nose is wonderfully intense, ripe and concentrated, with aromas of toasted oak. Supple and vibrant on the palate, the fruit is clean and crisp with fine but firm tannins, giving the expression a little tension and linearity. Cinnamon and clove edge the bright blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, with lovely acidity. This wine is both rich and firm, clean and clear, fragrant and ripe. There's a lot going on here, including bitter dark chocolate. Everything is happening. It needs time to relax, but it's wonderfully nuanced and truly captivating. Gripping and refreshing, it leaves a lasting impression. 2028-2044

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

With its medieval château on one side and 17th-century manor house on the other, this cru classé blends styles and eras with real harmony, as seen in the cellar and its hull-shaped frame. At the helm since 1945, the Cruse family, associated since 2013 with Jacky Lorenzetti, already firmly established in the Médoc, manages a 55-hectare vineyard planted on a fine clay-gravel terroir in the heart of the appellation.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Opaque purple-black in color, it features vibrant notes of Bing cherry, boysenberry, ripe currant and juicy black plum, along with nuances of pencil sharpener, wild thyme, lavender and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate displays impressive energy with crisp red and black fruits and compelling tension, framed by fine-grained tannins, and finishes long and mineral. 2025-2045

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

In addition to a sumptuous château, Issan boasts one of the few historic vineyards that has not been consolidated, ideally situated on the banks of the Gironde and contained within a magnificent clos. Thanks to the work of Emmanuel Cruse and his team, the wines have gained in thickness, intensity and depth in recent years, while retaining a very silky touch. They are now among the appellation's elite.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Extremely floral and fruity, with redcurrant and blackberry notes. Full-bodied and very layered, with a deliciously dense character. Full-bodied, with fine-grained, structured tannins. Rich, but not heavy. Long, chewy finish.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

A bouquet of summer fruits, which, as it wafts up your nostrils, gives you the feeling of lying on a blanket in the middle of a field of wild grasses, caressed by the gentle warmth of a spring sun. On the palate, a sublime wine, chiselled, greedy, with a mouth-watering crunch, and nervous tannins that leave a slightly chalky finish. 2028-2048

Yves Beck

About the wine:

Fresh herbal nuances, blond tobacco notes, blackcurrant, earthy nuances and sweet spices. Here's an obviously extensible summary of Issan's bouquet. Vegetal, because it's time to put a positive spin on this natural and relevant term. Of course, it warms the spirits, but it smells great... isn't that the main thing? Add to this the sweetness of the palate, a certain density, an acid structure that plebs the finish and silky tannins... and you get this very elegant, fine and convincing Margaux. We didn't bank on charm, but that doesn't prevent us from using it; in the end, it's freshness that wins out. Well done! 2026-2045

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

Dark, intense, purple and beautiful color. Very aromatic nose, fine, subtle and fragrant, with pure, ripe fruit. Ultra-melting on the entry, delicious and dense in the middle, particularly aromatic, the wine caresses the velvety, savory palate. It finishes long, delicately woven on dreamy tannins. 2027-2045

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is elegant, racy and offers delicacy, power (in justness/mastery), concentration and complexity. Notes of ripe/fresh red berries, full-bodied strawberry and, more lightly, violet and blackcurrant are combined with hints of camphor, full-bodied/ripe black berries, fresh tobacco, fresh licorice, delicate hints of saffron, cherry blossom, nutmeg, spices and a discreet hint of Bourbon vanilla. The palate is fruity and well-balanced, offering juiciness, freshness, bright fruit, minerality, good definition, a certain greediness, an acidic structure, an airy character (in the construction of the mouth), juiciness, controlled richness, a certain power, as well as a finely tight, relatively powerful tannic structure. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackcurrant, bright raspberry and, more lightly, small ripe/fresh wild red berries, combined with hints of lily, saffron, bright cherry, black tea and licorice, as well as fine hints of sweet spices, racy minerality, fine touches of blond tobacco and an imperceptible hint of pepper (in the background). The tannins are precise, tightly wound and slightly straightforward.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

The first vintage to include 5 Bordeaux grape varieties in the blend opens with aromas of violet, forest floor, spice, plum, redcurrant, cherry, mint and a hint of pepper. On the palate, bright red fruits, silky tannins, sweetness and fruit purity are easy to discern. The elegant finish is persistent, which is a good thing, because you'll finish the bottle far too quickly. Tasting the 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and now 2020 over the years is going to be a lot of fun. But I warn you, it will be hard to pick a favorite. Today, however, it's quite possible that the 2020, due to the inclusion of new grape sources, will top the class. Drink between 2025 and 2055.