Château d'Issan "The Collection All Good in Time" | 2010-2012-2015-2016-2018-2019

2010

The 2010 Château d’Issan has a very intense bouquet with layers of black fruit interlaced with wild hedgerow, touches of iodine and brine that I noticed on the same bottle a couple of years ago. This still requires a couple of years (or 2-3 hours of decanting) before serving. The palate is much more refined than the 2005, particularly the tannins that are less prominent. Very harmonious and lightly spiced, there is bewitching symmetry about this d’Issan and it is just as sophisticated as I found back in 2018. Wonderful delineation and clearly more persistence on the finish compared to the aforementioned 2005. - 93 Punkte (Neal Martin 03/2021)

2012

The 2012 d'Issan has a very perfumed and expressive bouquet with ebullient blackberry, iodine and cedar scents, very focused and classy with seamlessly integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, perfect acidity, compact at the moment but brimming over with mineralité and tension. This seems to have blossomed in bottle after a patchy showing in barrel and now it comes highly recommended. Tasted at the d’Issan vertical held at the property. - 93 Punkte (Neal Martin 04/2018)

2015

The 2015 Château d’Issan has an intense bouquet, even more than the 2010 when juxtaposed side-by-side, with multilayered black fruit, bilberry and light marine scents and hints of wild heather that I did not notice three years ago. The palate is beautifully balanced with very supple, lithe tannins. There is more red fruit compared to the 2010, with a little more sapidity. In fact, I suspect on this showing that the d’Issan may ultimately edge ahead. This is very elegant and harmonious with an almost pixelated finish. - 94 Punkte (Neal Martin 03/2021)

2016

The 2016 d’Issan has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, violets, rose petal and light undergrowth aromas, displaying fine lift and great intensity. The medium-bodied palate offers fine-grained tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and vibrant, with a very harmonious, elegant and persistent finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. - 94 Punkte (Neal Martin 01/2020)

2018

The 2018 Château d’Issan offers fragrant blackberry, cedar and light peppermint scents on a nose that gently unfolds with aeration. This is charming and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and fine intensity. A dusting of dark chocolate appears toward the finish, which needs some time to fully cohere; cellar it for 4–6 years. A very capable Margaux that should develop well in bottle. -92 Punkte (Neal Martin 01/2021)

2019

The 2019 Château d'Issan has a glorious Margaux bouquet with pressed violets fusing with the black fruit and crushed stone scents. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine delineation, taut and fresh, a pinch of black pepper towards the structured and detailed finish that lingers in the mouth. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. - 94 Punkte (Neal Martin 01/2023)

2010

A very rich, layered red with blackberry, fresh mushroom and some hazelnut. It’s full-bodied, layered and extremely intense. Velvety and chewy tannins. Still extremely powerful and young. Last tasted in 2015. Better after 2023. - 96 Punkte (10/2020)

2012

This is an excellent red now with sweet tobacco, truffles and berries. Full body, vevlety tannins and a savory finish. This shows the Issan character of decadence and richness. - 92 Punkte (03/2015)

2015

Very complex aromas of currants, blackberries and iodine with hints of dried mushrooms and flowers. Full-bodied, very fine and silky with a very, very long finish. Shows tension and finesse. Structured yet shows an ultra-fine texture. Deep, dense center palate, yet it's all so polished. A wine for the future. Drink in 2022. - 96 Punkte (01/2018)

2016

The brightness and precision already comes through on the nose with floral, blackcurrant character. Full-bodied and very tight and creamy with polished tannins that last for minutes. Warm and intense. Needs four to five years to show all it has, yet already a beauty. - 96 Punkte (01/2019)

2018

Aromas of blackberry, plum, cocoa, iodine, clove and graphite. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Tightly wound and mineral at the moment, with dusty gravel and graphite notes, yet with focus and precision. Such balance and harmony for the vintage. Try from 2025. - 96 Punkte (01/2021)

2019

Fresh currants and raspberries pop out of the glass, together with oranges and cedar. Such purity of fruit in the nose. Full-bodied, yet so refined and vertical. It goes deep and long with tight, compressed tannins that are pure and exciting. Really tight and focused. Precise. Try after 2026. - 97 Punkte (07/2021)

2010

Another gorgeous wine in the vintage, the 2010 Château D'Issan comes from a relatively Merlot-heavy blend that's 61% Cabernet Sauvignon and 39% Merlot, pulled from just 53% of the total production and aged in 55% new French oak. Its ruby/purple hue (it looks barely 5 years old) is followed by a beautifully complex bouquet of red and black currants, spring flowers, mulberries, sweet spice, saddle leather, and subtle cedary nuances. Almost delicate, it has medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, ultra-fine tannins, and a supple, layered, elegant mouthfeel. This quintessential Margaux builds nicely with air and is just now at the early stages of its prime drinking window. It has another two decades of longevity. - 95 Punkte (05/2024)

2015

A powerhouse offering from proprietor Emmanuel Cruse (with consulting advice from Eric Boissenot) is the 2015 Château d'Issan which in 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot brought up in just over 50% new barrels. Offering a spectacular bouquet of blackcurrants, lead pencil, chocolate and espresso, this full-bodied, incredibly sexy Margaux boast sweet, sweet tannin, lots of oak, a stacked mid-palate and a huge finish. It’s a tour de force that’s going to benefit from 5-6 years of cellaring and keep for three decades. As I’ve stated numerous times in this report, Margaux was the place to be in 2015 and I suspect numerous estates have made their best wines to date. - 95 Punkte (11/2017)

2016

I loved the 2016 Château d'Issan and this is a certainly a wine to seek out. Made from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot from yields of 55 hectoliters per hectare, aged 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, etc.) as well as hints of graphite, subtle oak, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity, a terrific mid-palate, and perfect balance, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to cruise in good cellars for 20-25 years or more. It’s a beautiful, elegant, seamless wine that’s very much in the style of the vintage. - 94+ Punkte (02/2019)

2018

The top wine, the 2018 Château D'Issan is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. It offers a beautiful, singular bouquet of blackcurrants, new leather, smoked tobacco, scorched earth, and camphor. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, seamless Margaux with wonderful tannins, beautifully integrated acidity, and just a flawlessly balanced, elegant, layered style that's going to evolve for 20-25 years. It's one classy 2018 that has loads to love. - 95 Punkte (03/2021)

2019

Pure cassis, graphite, violets, damp earth, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2019 Château D'Issan, a richer, medium to full-bodied, powerful Margaux. It develops a gorgeous sense of minerality with time in the glass, has plenty of mid-palate oomph, integrated oak, and just terrific overall balance. It's a stunning success in the vintage in Margaux, which was one of the more challenging in the vintage. This will round into form with just 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades or more. Bravo. - 95 Punkte (04/2022)

2012

A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot, the 2012 d'Issan is deep garnet colored. Warm plums, black cherries, and mulberries leap from the glass with suggestions of bay leaves, graphite, and dusty earth in the undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate is laden with savory and earthy layers, framed by chewy tannins and finishing on a stewed black tea note. - 91 Punkte (02/2023)

2015

The 2015 d’Issan is medium to deep garnet in color. It soars with red berries and mulberries plus herbs and tobacco. It is medium-bodied, elegant, refreshing and long. - 95 Punkte (11/2022)

2016

The 2016 d'Issan is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot. Deep garnet colored with a touch of purple, it roars out with powerful scents of creme de cassis, blackberry pie, and stewed plums with hints of mocha, violets, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate delivers a solid structure of firm, grainy tannins and seamless acidity to support the taut, muscular black fruit, finishing on a lingering aniseed note. - 96 Punkte (12/2022)

2018

The 2018 d’Issan has a deep garnet purple color. It offers nice, pure notions of blackcurrant pastilles, ripe blackberries, and redcurrant jelly, with hints of dried herbs and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has vibrant fruit and soft tannins with plenty of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift. - 93 Punkte (02/2023)

2019

The 2019 d’Issan has a deep garnet-purple color. It features notes of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, and cassis, with nuances of tobacco leaf and cedar. The medium-bodied palate is chewy and refreshing, with soft-spoken fruit and an earthy finish. - 94 Punkte (05/2023)

2010

This red offers a grippy, charcoal-laced feel, cloaked by very fleshy plum, currant and blackberry confiture flavors. The long, tarry spine drives the finish, with extra bay leaf, maduro tobacco and warm stone notes. A touch taut, but should be ready to open soon enough. Best from 2014 through 2024. 8,333 cases made. - 91 Punkte (J.M.)

2012

This has a strong roasted alder note leading the way, followed by lively plum and red currant fruit. The tightly focused and energetic finish lets the sanguine and iron accents stretch out. A solid effort, with an old-school edge. Drink now through 2019. 7,500 cases made. - 89 Punkte (J.M.)

2015

Focused, with a twinge of singed alder and cedar up front giving this a slightly old-school feel, followed by a good core of steeped plum and black currant fruit. Picks up a bit of the vintage's velvety edge on the finish, though the cedar note lingers as well. 88-91 Punkte (J.M.)

2016

Light pepper and savory hints lead off in this bouncy, juicy version, with bright cassis and bitter cherry fruit forming the core. Shows a light mineral edge on the finish. 88-91 Punkte (J.M.)

2010

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 D'Issan opens with baked blackberries, blackcurrant jelly and stewed plums scents with hints of bouquet garni and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bright and refreshing with just enough chewy, textured black fruits and an earthy finish. - 93 Punkte (Lisa Perrotti-Brown 03/2020)

2012

The 2012 Château d’Issan, builds on the richness of the second wine and adds more body, structure and density. It has an inky purple color and a stunning nose of spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit as well as touches of incense and graphite. Medium to full-bodied and stunningly concentrated, this 2012 is a great success in the vintage, one of the superstars. Moreover, its precociousness suggests it could be drunk in the next 4-5 years or cellared through 2025. I underrated this wine dramatically in my report of April, 2013 (Issue 206). - 95 Punkte (Robert M. Parker, Jr. 04/2015)

2015

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old barrels for 18 months, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 D'Issan simply sings with a beautiful perfume of wilted flowers, rose hip tea and mincemeat with a core of cherry preserves and blackberry tart plus a hint of underbrush. Medium-bodied, fine, fresh and elegant, it's very soft and silky in the mouth with a long finish. - 93 Punkte (Lisa Perrotti-Brown 02/2018)

2016

The 2016 D'Issan is blended of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot, aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it has vibrant black cherries and blackcurrants notes with chocolate mint, beef drippings, black olives and cigar box. Medium-bodied with a well-sustained, intensely flavored mid-palate, it has a rock-solid, grainy frame and long savory finish. 10,500 cases produced. - 94+ Punkte (Lisa Perrotti-Brown 11/2018)

2018

The 2018 D'Issan is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aging in 50% new and 50% second year barrels for an estimated 18 months. With 13.97% alcohol and a deep garnet-purple color, it features baked berries, warm cherries and cassis with spice box and fragrant earth plus tea hints. Medium to full-bodied, it has a great core of muscular fruit with firm, fine-grained tannins, with nice freshness, finishing layered with mineral notions. - 94-96 Punkte (Lisa Perrotti-Brown 04/2019)

2019

The 2019 D'Issan is showing well from bottle, offering up aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with violets, orange rind and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a seamless, elegant profile, it's a charming, perfumed wine that will offer a broad drinking window. The blend is dominated by an atypically high proportion (70%) of Cabernet Sauvignon. The heart of Issan is its walled "Clos" to the rear of the picturesque moated château, which is complemented by more recently acquired holdings situated on the same gravel terrace. - 94 Punkte (William Kelley 04/2022)