"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 structure. 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, with notes of dark, bitter chocolate as well. 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 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 indulgent, delicately crafted, with a mouth-watering finish featuring complex notes 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
Pair 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 belongs to the Cruse family and the other half to 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 structure. Cinnamon and clove frame the bright fruit of blackcurrant and black cherry, with lovely acidity. This wine is at once rich and firm, crisp and clear, fragrant and ripe. There is a lot going on here, including notes of dark bitter chocolate. Everything is unfolding. It needs time to relax, but it is 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 are regularly recognized by 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 fruit, graphite, sweet spices, toasted oak, and chocolate. The same sensation of aromatic richness emanates from the palate: full-bodied, rich, firm, yet very fresh, supple, and silky, built upon exceptionally refined tannins. A captivating, nuanced wine, a perfectly accomplished reflection of Margaux 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 quality reflected in the cellar and its ship’s hull-shaped roof structure. At the helm since 1945, the Cruse family—partnering since 2013 with Jacky Lorenzetti, who is already well-established in the Médoc—manages a 55-hectare vineyard planted on beautiful clay-gravel soil 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 boasting fabulous terroirs, are must-haves that, thanks to their consistency and the 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 (expressed with precision and control), concentration, and complexity. It reveals notes of ripe/fresh red berries, juicy strawberry, and hints of violet and blackcurrant, combined with touches of camphor, juicy/ripe black berries, fresh tobacco, fresh licorice, subtle hints of saffron, cherry blossom, as well as subtle hints of nutmeg, spices, and a discreet hint of Bourbon vanilla. The palate is fruity, perfectly balanced, and offers juiciness, freshness, vibrant fruit, minerality, good definition, a certain richness, a tangy structure, an airy character (in the palate’s construction), juiciness, controlled richness, a certain power, as well as a finely grained and relatively powerful tannic structure. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackcurrant, vibrant raspberry, and, more subtly, ripe/fresh, combined with hints of lily, saffron, vibrant cherry, black tea, and licorice, as well as subtle hints of sweet spices, racy 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 a magnificent château, Issan boasts one of the few historic vineyards that has never been consolidated, ideally situated on the banks of the Gironde and enclosed within a magnificent estate. 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 redcurrants and blackberries. It is full-bodied and complex, with a delicious, dense character. Full-bodied with fine-grained, well-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 that evokes the fresh mountain air. The palate, with its dark tones, 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 its vegetal notes, hints of blond tobacco, blackcurrant, earthy undertones, and gentle spices. Here is a brief—though obviously expandable—summary 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. We didn’t focus on charm, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t make use of it; in the end, it’s the freshness that wins out. Bravo! 2026–2045
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