“The nose is wonderfully intense, ripe, and concentrated, with aromas of toasted oak. Supple and vibrant on the palate, the fruit is crisp and fresh, with fine yet firm tannins that lend the wine a touch of tension and linearity. Cinnamon and clove frame the brilliant fruit of blackcurrant and black cherry, with lovely acidity. This wine is at once rich and firm, crisp and clear, fragrant and ripe. There’s a lot going on here, including notes of dark, bitter chocolate. It’s all unfolding. It needs time to relax, but it’s wonderfully nuanced and truly captivating. Striking and refreshing, it leaves a lasting impression.” (Decanter - 2023) - Delivery in a wooden case is available for orders of 6 bottles of this wine (depending on the country and selected shipping method)
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Eye
Deep, brilliant ruby color
Nose
Great finesse, with lovely aromas of blackcurrant and blond tobacco, enhanced by pleasantly herbaceous notes
Palate
Beautiful structure, refined tannins, rich and luscious, delicately crafted, with a mouth-watering finish featuring complex aromas of cinnamon and black cherry, and a magnificent lingering aroma
Serve
At 17-18°C
Open
2 hours before
Drink from
2028
Drink before
2045
Production
110,000 bottles
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy it with pork cheeks with chanterelle mushrooms, a Rossini-style beef tournedos, or a truffle-stuffed chicken with chestnuts...
Bettane & Desseauve
Rated estate (2021 guide): 4* Stars (Producers of the very highest quality, the pride of French viticulture)
About the estate:
Half of the estate is owned by the Cruse family and the other half by Jacky Lorenzetti, who naturally have high hopes for it. Surrounded by walls, the approximately 50-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 greater rigor in its selection, it could rival—though without a distinct character—its prestigious neighbor Palmer.
Decanter
Wine rated (2023 guide) 96/100
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 crisp and fresh, with fine yet firm tannins that lend the wine a touch of tension and linearity. Cinnamon and clove frame the brilliant fruit of blackcurrant and black cherry, with lovely acidity. This wine is at once rich and firm, crisp and clear, fragrant and ripe. There’s a lot going on here, including notes of dark, bitter chocolate. It’s all coming together. It needs time to open up, but it’s wonderfully nuanced and truly captivating. Striking and refreshing, it leaves a lasting impression. 2028–2044
Guide Hachette des vins
Rated wine (2024 guide) 2* Stars (Outstanding wine)
Rated estate (2021 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer’s wines regularly receive awards from the guide)
About the wine:
Issan 2020 features a complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (39%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Petit Verdot (2%), and Malbec (1%). This complexity is evident in the glass, with aromas as subtle as they are indulgent—ripe black fruits, graphite, sweet spices, toasty oak, and chocolate. The same sense of aromatic richness emanates on the palate: full-bodied, rich, and firm, yet at the same time very fresh, supple, and silky, built on tannins of great finesse. A captivating, nuanced wine that perfectly embodies Margaux’s elegance. 2028–2040
About the estate:
With a medieval fortified castle on one side and a 17th-century manor house on the other, this classified growth blends styles and eras with true harmony, a harmony that is reflected in the winery and its hull-shaped roof structure. At the helm since 1945, the Cruse family—partnered since 2013 with Jacky Lorenzetti, who is already well-established in the Médoc—manages a 55-hectare vineyard planted on a beautiful clay-gravel terroir at the heart of the appellation.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2025 guide) 96/100
Rated estate (2021 guide) 2*Stars (These exceptional estates, often blessed with fabulous terroirs, are must-haves that, thanks to the consistency and excellence of their wines, deserve a place in the cellars of discerning wine lovers)
About the wine:
The nose is elegant and refined, offering delicacy, power (exhibited with precision and control), concentration, and complexity. It reveals notes of ripe and fresh red berries, juicy strawberry, and, more subtly, violet and blackcurrant, combined with hints of camphor, juicy and ripe black berries, fresh tobacco, fresh licorice, subtle hints of saffron, cherry blossoms, as well as subtle hints of nutmeg, spices, and a discreet hint of Bourbon vanilla. On the palate, it is fruity and well-balanced, offering juiciness, freshness, vibrant fruit, minerality, good definition, a certain richness, a tangy structure, an airy character (in its palate profile), juiciness, controlled richness, a certain power, and a finely structured, relatively powerful tannic framework. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy, pulpy blackcurrant, vibrant raspberry, and, to a lesser extent, ripe,fresh, combined with hints of lily, saffron, vibrant cherry, black tea, and licorice, as well as subtle hints of sweet spices, refined minerality, subtle hints of blond tobacco, and an imperceptible hint of pepper (in the background). The tannins are precise, finely structured, and offer a touch of firmness.
About the estate:
In addition to its magnificent château, Issan boasts one of the few historic vineyards that has not been consolidated, ideally situated on the banks of the Gironde and enclosed within a magnificent vineyard enclosure. Thanks to the work of Emmanuel Cruse and his team, the wines have gained in body, intensity, and depth in recent years, while retaining a very silky texture. They are now among the appellation’s elite.
James Suckling
Wine rated (2021 guide) 97-98/100
About the wine:
Extremely floral and fruity, with notes of red currants and blackberries. It is full-bodied and very layered, with a delicious, dense character. Full-bodied with fine-grained, structured tannins. Rich, but not heavy. A long, chewy finish.
Le Figaro vins
Wine rated (2023 guide) 96/100
About the wine:
A splendid bouquet, majestically opulent yet never excessive, with pure, seductive black fruit notes that evoke the fresh mountain air. On the palate, with its dark tones, it reveals notes of ink, graphite, and black fruit. The immaculate purity of the fruit and the refined classicism of the aromas give this wine a truly distinguished character. 2028–2048
Yves Beck
Wine rated (2022 guide) 96/100
About the wine:
The freshness of vegetal nuances, notes of blond tobacco, blackcurrant, earthy undertones, and sweet spices. Here is a summary—which can, of course, be expanded upon—of Issan’s bouquet. “Vegetal” because we must finally embrace this natural and apt term. Of course, it stirs up some controversy, but it smells wonderful… isn’t that what matters most? Add to that the sweetness on the palate, a certain density, an acidic structure that enhances the finish, and silky tannins… and you get this very elegant, refined, and compelling Margaux. They didn’t set out to be charming, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t; in the end, it’s the freshness that wins the day. Bravo! 2026–2045
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