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

Bettane & Desseauve

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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