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Issan 2015

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château d'Issan

Label

Tasting Notes

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
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2018

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. 2023 - 2053

95
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, November 2017

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. 2020 - 2038

93
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (Interim Fe), February 2018

Tasted blind. Quite sweet, smoked hickory oak with punch and a bit of drama. Juice and attack. Just scrapes a 17.
Drink 2024-2040

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2019

The fruit on the nose is bright the start of the palate fresh. Sweet fruit depth ripe cassis in the middle the fruit is supported by fine tannins. Juicy fleshy depth at the back the finish has hints of vanilla.

89/92
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, April 2016

This is a very calm, very deep Issan with all of the flavour pushed to the back of the palate. It seems shy on the nose and
rather introspective but there is some very classy, velvety fruit here and some sooty oak which melds well. A good effort,
this will be a slow burn but it will open beautifully one day into the archetypal Margaux.

17.5+
Matthew Jukes, Matthew Jukes' Blog, April 2016
Read more tasting notes...

The 2015 Château d'Issan is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot cropped at 40 hl/ha, representing 55% of the production. Emmanuel Cruse told me how they suffered less rain on the weekend of 12 and 13 September, 32 millimeters being less than in the northern Médoc. Cropped between 21 September and 6 October, it has a very pure and sensual bouquet that takes time to open up, eventually offering black cherries and blueberry, a marine influence tucked in just behind (a common thread throughout various vintages of d'Issan). The palate is underpinned by extraordinarily fine tannin that gently caress the mouth. The 55% new oak is beautifully embroidered throughout this wine from start to finish, which displays energy, real frisson in the mouth. This may well turn out to be one of the greatest Château d'Issan made in the modern era. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink 2028-2060.

93/95
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (224), April 2016

This is solid and muscular Issan with round and powerful tannins. Full and long. Impressively structured.

94/95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2016

Only medium crimson. Only medium intensity of aroma but lots of vivacity underneath. Very 'new-fashioned', as the Joanne brothers put it. Racy and full of real charm and energy. Lots behind this. This builds towards the end in a way that good burgundy does. Chapeau!
Drink 2024-2039

17.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2016
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.