Issan 2015

Margaux, Third Growth

Units	Size	Case size	GBP Price:	Quantities	Buy
96	75cl Bottle	Case 12	£480 per Case	Cases	[Add to shopping basket]

Tasting Notes
Love a good bottle of Issan, just such a consistently enjoyable Margaux, and this is at a great moment to drink, beginning to fully soften and widen through the mid palate. Smoked caramel, roses, crushed raspberry, tobacco, liquorice, mandarin peel, with a fresh mint leaf lift on the finish. The 70th anniversary of the Cruse family at Issan, tasted separately to the rest of the horizontal. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2045 19 February 2025
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. Score: 94 Neal Martin, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2045 01 March 2021
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. Score: 93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2038 21 February 2018
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. Score: 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 02 February 2018
This is solid and muscular Issan with round and powerful tannins. Full and long. Impressively structured. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 April 2016
The 2015 d'Issan is a total knock-out. Spectacularly ripe and intense, the 2015 exudes richness in all of its dimensions. Super-ripe dark plum, lavender, spice, savory herbs, iron, smoke and new leather add myriad shades of nuance to this super-ripe, decidedly hedonistic Margaux. A powerful, dense wine, the 2015 is going to need a number of years before it is close to being ready to drink. I was quite impressed with d'Issan both times I tasted it. The 2015 has really come along nicely. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, aged in 50% new oak. Eric Boissenot consults. Score: 95 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2040 01 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. Score: 95 Jeb Dunnuck, - Maturity: 2023-2053 30 November 2017
Vibrant on the nose with good sweet black fruits and lift. Plenty of richness, with medium body, and a fine vanilla finish. Score: 91 - 93 Albany Vintners, - 27 April 2016
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. Score: 88 - 91 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 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! Score: 17 - 18 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2024-2039 01 April 2016

Tasting Notes

Love a good bottle of Issan, just such a consistently enjoyable Margaux, and this is at a great moment to drink, beginning to fully soften and widen through the mid palate. Smoked caramel, roses, crushed raspberry, tobacco, liquorice, mandarin peel, with a fresh mint leaf lift on the finish. The 70th anniversary of the Cruse family at Issan, tasted separately to the rest of the horizontal.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2045 19 February 2025

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.

Score: 94

Neal Martin, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2045 01 March 2021

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.

Score: 93

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2038 21 February 2018

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.

Score: 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 02 February 2018

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

Score: 94 - 95

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 April 2016

The 2015 d'Issan is a total knock-out. Spectacularly ripe and intense, the 2015 exudes richness in all of its dimensions. Super-ripe dark plum, lavender, spice, savory herbs, iron, smoke and new leather add myriad shades of nuance to this super-ripe, decidedly hedonistic Margaux. A powerful, dense wine, the 2015 is going to need a number of years before it is close to being ready to drink. I was quite impressed with d'Issan both times I tasted it. The 2015 has really come along nicely. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, aged in 50% new oak. Eric Boissenot consults.

Score: 95

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2040 01 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.

Score: 95

Jeb Dunnuck, - Maturity: 2023-2053 30 November 2017

Vibrant on the nose with good sweet black fruits and lift. Plenty of richness, with medium body, and a fine vanilla finish.

Score: 91 - 93

Albany Vintners, - 27 April 2016

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.

Score: 88 - 91

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 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!

Score: 17 - 18

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2024-2039 01 April 2016

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