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The Château d'Issan is a magnificent moated estate nestled in the heart of the Margaux vineyard in the Médoc. This wine was notably served in 1152 at the wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry Plantagenet of England, and was much appreciated several centuries later by the Prince of Wales in the 1720s, as well as by Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria.
This reputation earned it the following motto on its label: Regum Mensis Aris que Deorum, "For the table of kings and the altar of the gods".
The Château d'Issan was named Third Grand Cru Classé in the famous 1855 classification for Médoc wines.
Today equally owned by the Cruse and Lorenzetti families, the vineyard is planted on a sumptuous deep gravel terroir, with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. The wines are aged for 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which are new.
One Second wine, Blason d'Issan, and a third wine, Haut-Médoc d'Issan en appellation Haut-Médoc, are produced by the estate.
The Château d'Issan is renowned for its flamboyant, aristocratic style, where the wines are complex and exquisite.
An unusual vintage
Winter 2020 was mild, recorded as the warmest since the beginning of the 20th century. The vines budded early, between March 10 and 15. Thanks to a particularly sunny and mild March and April, the first flowers appeared on May 11. The end of spring was very rainy, particularly on the weekend of May 8. Like last year, July was sunny and dry, with veraison beginning on July 7. Mid-August was punctuated by showers, but the vineyards held up well and remained healthy and vigorous. The late season was ideal, with a beneficial thermal amplitude enabling the grapes to reach optimal ripeness and balance.
A step ahead
The early spring was reflected in the start of the harvest on September 17. As early as June, a harvest three weeks ahead of schedule is envisaged. With a very hot and dry July, the vine slows its pace. In September, the progression of the cycle is reduced to around ten days. Initial analyses are comparable to 2015. The Merlot harvest will take place from September 17 to 24 in the heart of the Clos d'Issan historic plots. A memorable year at Issan, with Malbec harvested for the first time on September 21, Petit Verdot on September 24 and Cabernet Franc on September 28. They'll add subtlety and complexity to the blend! Last but not least, Cabernet Sauvignon from September 28 to October 2. These pretty, concentrated berries, hand-picked by the grape-pickers, were transported with the greatest delicacy to the heart of the gravity-fed vat room. This was followed by parcel-by-parcel vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. These will continue for 3 weeks, revealing a wine of exquisite richness!
The 2020 revelation
Blending took place on January 6 with Eric Boissenot and the team at Château: this vintage is a real revelation! With its subtle aromas of gourmet fruit, this wine embodies the expression and "quintessence" of the Margaux terroir. Precision and elegance come together to reveal an explosion of flavors. Delicate, harmonious tannins envelop the wine