“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. Captivating and refreshing, it leaves a lasting impression.” (Decanter - 2023) - Delivery in a wooden crate is available for orders of 1 magnum of this wine (depending on the country and selected shipping method)
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Eye
Deep, brilliant ruby color
Nose
Extremely refined and aromatic, with scents of blackcurrant, blackcurrant, and blond tobacco, enhanced by pleasantly herbaceous notes—very inviting
Palate
Beautiful structure, refined tannins, rich aromas of blackberry, red currant, and juicy blackcurrant; delightfully nuanced, 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
2025
Drink before
2050
Guard
2055
Food and wine pairings
Pair it with pork cheeks with chanterelle mushrooms, a Rossini-style beef tournedos, or a chicken stuffed with chestnuts and truffles...
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 estate (2021 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer’s wines regularly receive awards from the guide)
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
Wine rated (2021 guide) 93-95/100 (Extraordinary wine)
Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About the wine:
With an opaque black-purple color, it offers vibrant notes of Bing cherry, Boysenberry, ripe red currant, and juicy black plum, along with hints of pencil shavings, wild thyme, lavender, and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate displays impressive energy with crisp red and black fruits and irresistible tension, framed by fine-grained tannins, and concludes with a long, mineral finish. 2025–2045
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
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 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 (2021 guide) 95.5/100
About the wine:
A bouquet of summer fruits that, as it rises to your nose, makes you feel as if you’re lying on a blanket in the middle of a field of wild grasses, caressed by the gentle warmth of the spring sun. On the palate, this is a sublime, finely crafted, and luscious wine, with a mouthwatering crispness and perfectly lively tannins that leave a slightly chalky finish lingering on the palate. 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
Jean-Marc Quarin
Wine rated (2021 guide) 95/100
About the wine:
A deep, intense, beautiful purple color. The nose is very aromatic, refined, subtle, and fragrant, with pure, ripe fruit. Ultra-smooth on the attack, delicious and dense on the palate, and particularly aromatic, the wine caresses the palate with its velvety, flavorful texture. It finishes long, delicately structured with dreamy tannins. 2027–2045
Vert de Vin
Wine rated (2021 guide) 95/100 (Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche)
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.
The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve
Wine rated (2023 guide) 95/100
About the wine:
The first vintage to include five Bordeaux grape varieties in the blend opens with aromas of violets, forest floor, spices, plums, red currants, cherries, mint, and a hint of pepper. On the palate, the vibrant red fruits, silky tannins, and the fruit’s smoothness and purity are easy to discern. The elegant finish is lingering—which is a good thing, because you’ll finish the bottle far too quickly. Tasting the 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and now the 2020 over the years will be a lot of fun. But I warn you, it will be hard to pick a favorite. However, today, it’s quite possible that the 2020—thanks to the inclusion of new grape sources—is top of the class. Drink between 2025 and 2055.