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

Half of the estate is owned by the Cruse family and the other half by Jacky Lorenzetti, who obviously have great ambitions 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 process, it could rival—though without a distinct character—its prestigious neighbor, Palmer.

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. Everything is 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

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

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 ship’s hull-shaped roof structure. At the helm since 1945, the Cruse family—in partnership 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 in the heart of the appellation.

The nose is elegant and refined, offering delicacy, power (expressed with precision and control), concentration, and complexity. It reveals notes of ripe and fresh red berries, juicy strawberries, 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 notes of blond tobacco, and an imperceptible hint of pepper (in the background). The tannins are precise, finely structured, and offer a touch of firmness.

In addition to a 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 finest.

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.

A splendid bouquet, majestically opulent yet never excessive, with pure, seductive black fruit aromas that evoke 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

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 in a positive light. 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