1986/2019/2020. i have little experience with this estate, except for the 24 bottles of their 2018 2nd wine, Blason d’Issan, which was a fantastic value and very enjoyable. At PnP, the 1986 is showing some primary fruit but clearly beyond its crescendo but still enjoyable. a bit thin, fully resolved tannins. dark berries and cassis quite noticeable. a bit of bricking. enjoyable yet noticeably different stylistically from a typical bordeaux or even a margaux. 2019 and 2020 exhibit the same fruit profile, 2019 coming across lighter, less tannins and not much on the nose. 2020 offers quite a pleasing olfactory experience and more density and concentration of fruit. perhaps the 2019 is shutting down, or it is a vintage variation? time will tell. currently decanting the 19/20 and letting the 1986 slow ox in the wine fridge after a double decant to remove sediment (of which there was surprisingly little). will sample again in 2 hrs
Currants, cassis, slight pepper, and perfumed silkiness on the nose. Smooth, polished, elegant, light body, medium acidity, fine tannins. Not concentrated or powerful. More delicate. Immediacy of the aftertaste seems to retreat early but a residual longevity lingers with a fine delicate aroma.
Not sure what to make of this...a bit too light and thin for my taste, but has some very good qualities. A high quality, fresh purity of fruit and aromatics.
Might need more time in bottle but drinking well now. I'll have to revisit as this is not the typical powerhouse bordeaux I enjoy but more of a delicate burgundy experience, albeith with a bordeaux taste profile.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pulled the cork on the bottle previously accessed by Coravin.
Air allowed the wine to reveal gorgeous bouquet. Blackcurrant and blackberry, with red berry top notes, violets, herbal teas, summer potpourri, and incredible mineral depth. Balanced oak treatment and seamless alcohol allow the perfume to shine. Compelling in all respects.
Precision and tension characterize the tasting experience. Juicy, gritty, and compact. Acid and tannin dance across the palate. Harmonious transitions, gripping back, exceptionally long finish, evocative of Left Bank purity and Margaux sexiness.
Nothing overpowering and yet the wine begs for no less than a decade in the cellar and will likely evolve for two. All elements point to a wine that should reach fully maturity by 2050. Stellar QPR. Worth seeking out! 95-96.
Showing very promising but also shut down at the same time. Drank over 3 hours. Red fruits, tobacco, herbs. Some Margaux florals came out early on but receded. Palate integrated well over the course of the bottle, but the finish remained astringent and tannic. I might recommend holding at this point or else a long decant to check in early.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful bramble, black fruit and oak integration. Vanilla, cola, and cloves. Great for a nice cool fall evening over looking out the backcountry out our back porch.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
really quite oaky. Brambly black fruit. Quite mineral and quite savory. Unresolved tannin. Big, but perfumed. Oaky and super structured, racy acidity and big tannic backbone. Perhaps it needs to age; a I found this way too oaky, with astringency smothering the fruit.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
No rating right now as this wine was pretty shut down and the fruit was overwhelmed by a wall of tannin. The flavor of the wine was very nice, but this is going to need a long time and is not open for business currently. Buy some, lay them down and forget about them.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed over three days, did not decant. Day 1 initial sip comes across as slightly closed but quickly expands to tart and black cherry, blueberry, and raspberry. Long finish, ending with dusty tannins.
Day 2 the wine seemed "big" and I wasn't able to enjoy it as much (sorry, I know that isn't a good description but I didn't take any notes).
Day 3 softer than day 2,very fruity and easy to drink with tart berries still predominating, medium+ acidity, and still soft, but no longer dusty, tannins.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, not quite opaque, a little dark mineral on the nose, hint creosote and oak; palate shows moderate depth of flavor, darker berry, with some higher toned brightness, maybe some oak spice, plenty of acidity, tannins are very fine and relatively modest, frankly just perceptible. Quite nice and even drinkable now, but I would fuess that 5-8 years should do this nicely.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner with the wine group (Sole Ristorante, San Mateo): Double decanted 6 hours. Aromatic, black fruited, blackberry; palate is full bodied, soft tannins, black fruits, some capsicum, good balance; finish is medium length. A bit soft textured compared to other young Bordeaux I’ve tried, but otherwise a really lovely and approachable Bordeaux. 91-92
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby colour. Pronounced and developing nose with blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, vanilla, cedar and tobacco. Pronounced taste of blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, eucalyptus, black pepper, licorice, vanilla, cloves and cedar. Long and dry finish. High acidity. High tannins. Medium body. A very good Margaux with great potential. Drink in ten to twenty years. Goes well with beef or lamb.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I’ve had this wine at least 6 times, and it is outstanding every single time. Today, it is so balance, floral, red fruits, medium plus acidity, fine tannin, good finish, so earthy. Classy Bordeaux. Unmatched QPR.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Floral with that Margaux perfume nose jumping from the glass. Dark and deep in color, palate is silky and fine. There is underlining structure here, but for now, the oak has taken a back seat, waiting to reemerge. Decent length and mid palate, but finesse driven. This wine will indeed age well. While open knit currently, I suspect it may start to shut down for its life ahead. A worthy addition to your cellar. I did notice a few corks seemed to vary in regard to fit and some dusty traits. Beware of it. Otherwise a real beauty. 95+
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted about 8 hours prior to consumption. A micro taste when initially popped found it quite tight. Nice dark fruits with notes of graphite and cedar. The decanting helped a good deal, even if it still showed like an infant after many hours. Purple fruited over a strongly structured core. I really appreciated the classic stylings here next to some other wines from warm vintages that were really fruit forward. In this we had an '18 LPoyferre just prior to this that was very open and fruity. It was quite the contrast which may have painted this by contrast even more structured, classic that it was. A revisit a couple hours later showed it closing down, only leaving light purple fruit left. Very nice in any case but in severe need of sleep.
Napa evening with one bottle of Bordeaux (semiblind):
2016 Dunn Howell Mountain: A bit thin, lacking power. I have only had the 2013 before, but it was better. Wait 5 years or so: 92 pts. 2017 Beringer Private Reserve: A really good wine with depth and seductive fruit, without being over the top. 95 pts 2018 Gallica - I really liked the 2008 but the 2018 was just so-so: 91 pts 2019 Chateau Issan: Not convincing. Loved the 2018 but the 2019 did not deliver. 90 pts.
All bottles were opened 5 days in advance and then decanted before dinner. They all improved during our dinner.
Five 2019 Left Bank Wines, First through Fifth Growths: The surprise of the tasting, given recent, somewhat underwhelming, vintages. Compelling purity and freshness throughout. The second prettiest bouquet of the tasting, yet by terroir, it aligned most closely with the Margaux, perhaps unsurprisingly so. Marginally more purple fruited than red, harmoniously balanced. In a word: Classic!
Striking composure and precision on the palate. It put my mind to the style that faded significantly after 2005. Balanced in all phases and transitions. Deft extraction, judicious oak treatment, seamless alcohol (particularly compared to the boozy '18 vintage, tasted recently). Medium plus acid, medium tannins; this is built to age. Likely to shut down in the near term, for no less than five to seven years. The most impressive d'Issan I have tasted in recent memory, paralleled only by the '10 vintage. 94-95.
EHC placed this first, on account of its overall balance. I placed it third, behind the Pontet-Canet and Margaux.
This is delicious! Fine powdery tannin, nice acidity and fruit. Beautiful floral nose. Well balanced with great mouthfeel. Finished long... like still have the wonderful lingering taste and aroma of the wine on your senses while you head off to bed long... Drinking well right now, but will surely be even better when it matures.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent quality for sure... fine tannin shows Margaux profile nicely. However, it's too young and deserves to be laid down awhile. Needs to develop some sour funky flavors over time. That'll make it interesting.
** Day 2 - to be fair, the sour note emerged increasing its mouthwatering appeal. Yum.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Terrific d'Issan and one of the few estates where the 2019 might end up the leader of the pack in the recent string of mighty fine vintages. This is fully expressive and well-composed from the pop of the cork in a retro, throwback style with chewy, muscular tannins. Most estates these days are aiming for a suppler texture but here the structure serves the wine well and you enjoy it precisely for what it is. The tannins are grippy but not drying or impinging on the fruit, which is bold and black-complexioned with accents of toasted cedar and charcoal. But the main appeal here is that this is a wine that just comes across very comfortable and at ease with itself; it's well-balanced and well-tailored and a relaxing wine to drink.
16 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for about 45 minutes and Corked. The TCA wasn't overwhelming, but was sufficient to rob the wine of flavor. From what I could tell, it seemed to have a promising acid/tannin and flavor balance.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Pretty nose, ocean, sweet leather, balance of mixed berries. Palate: Chalky mixed berries; very challenging to pull out individual fruits on both the palate and nose (wild berry smoothie might be the most appropriate descriptor here), watermelon rind, meatiness, vanilla creme on the finish with a hint of sweet mint as well; full-bodied with velvety tannins.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Overall: this is excellent wine, approachable now but with both intensity and balance to age well. It’s tight but a couple hours in the decanter opened it up quite well.
Appearance: dark ruby, almost opaque
Nose: dark fruit, soil, granite, maybe some leather or savory meatiness; after several hours in the decanter a bit of molasses showed up
Palate: medium-high acid, medium-high tannins; fruit forward with allspice on the entry, black tea.
Finish: goes on forever, drying, slightly bitter depending on what you’re eating with it
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep dark reddish-purple garnet in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, cassis & plums with earthy/dusty & herbal overtones, floral notes, spices, mint, minerals & a touch of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blueberries & plums with herbs, minerals, spices & oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks well at present with decanting & extended airing (+90 min.) but will develop further with additional aging at which time it may merit a higher score (94+).
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sings like a bird, as always. Medium-bodied, so much charm, tannins are so soft. Has it's youthfulness making things a bit closed, but this is one of the most approachable Bordeaux in a very approachable vintage.
-- decanted 15 min. before initial taste on Day 1 -- -- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hrs. on Day 1; revisited on Day 3 --
NOSE: DAY 1: very oaky; reserved red/purple fruit mix; faintly floral; buttery/garlicky Utz pub mix; transitioned to a more pure purple fruit profile around the 2 hr. mark. DAY 3: reserved/tight/closed; purple fruited; some smoldery oak.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: DAY 1: oaky; pleasant savory note; very gentle tannins; acidity is adequate -- juicy; despite being oaky, this is quite elegant, approachable, and moreish; strikes me as a good medium-term ager (15 - 25 years). Paired well with beef pot roast and root vegetables (carrots; parsnips; rutabaga; mushrooms). Needs time to come into focus, but there's no harm in opening a bottle now to see what you're working with. Gut impression score: 92 - 94.
colour is v dark but clear. nose is restrained, subtle, with cassis, slightly dusty, a touch of green pepper, a touch of mint. palate is young and fruity and has some good acidic bite up front but it also feels like it’s holding something back. some good tannin (which seemingly grows in stature with air) but mid palate thru finish is a tad abrupt. feeling like this has all kinds of potential. hold at least 5, if not 10.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Pure black cassis fruit with a touch of mineral, black olive, and light graphite/pencil lead. No tobacco. Lovely and pure. Lacks complexity to rate higher (but this would come with age).
Pal: Medium full to full body. Very good concentration. Young but fine tannins. No overt oak (good). Fine, elegant, superb balance. 13.5% alc. Lovely, modern Margaux.
91-92 pts: Now 92-94 pts: Potential. Drink: 2023-2035. Best window: 2026-2035. This would develop more complexity after 2026.
Excellent value in Bordeaux.
JGH sommelier CMS-III, San Francisco, California.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
If you looked up Margaux in a textbook, it should show this wine. An elegant, effusively floral and refined claret, with a very pretty core of currant, cherry, and red plum fruit. This is not a wine that wants to make a statement, but it manages to keep your attention with its subtle evolution and complexity. Very different than the Brane-Cantenac I had a few nights ago, but both are compelling wines.
Decanted 2 hours. Already a very good Chateau d'Issan and it will be even better with 10 more years in the cellar. Really a fair price. 92 pts. at the moment.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a classic claret in the making. I am finding the 2019 vintage a bit "off" in general compared with other recent vintages, but this wine seemed balanced from the get-go in the alcohol/oak/acidity dept. Best right after a short (2 hr) decant. After a double decant the next day the tannins started to show themselves more, so either enjoy now with a brief decant or hold for 10+ years. It has complexity already with charcoal, cedar, chocolate, cassis, pipe tobacco. Elegant wine in the making for sure. Nicely done. Rating: 92++
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rene Langdahl, september 2022: Château d’Issan 2019 Ganske enkelt mesterlig og jeg har aldrig smagt så vellykket d’Issan. Slank, alligevel ultraintens, poleret tannin, næse af kirsebær, blyant og blåbær. Jeg skrev simpelthen ”wauw!” i mine noter.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
After 3 hours in the decanter, the first sniff, alcohol was still aggressive. On the palate, it is more manageable. Some red fruit, earthy, tobacco leaves, tannin and acidity are well matched. Good balance. Followed for a few hours, and it did not change much, maybe a little worse toward the end. At $50, it's a good QPR wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a delightful vintage of d'Issan, one of the most consistent wines I enjoy from Bordeaux. This has the classic house notes - beautiful blue and black fruit, with a real lift, along with creme de cassis, some forest floor, nice acidity, medium-bodied. I love this producer and this is no exception. This feels light on its feet and surprisingly not even tannic at this very early stage - it can drink well young. Missing the concentration of the '05 and not as complete as the '12 but might otherwise be the most inviting d'Issan I can remember. Bought this to try as I've a full case coming, and so glad I've the case.
d'Issan has been on a roll lately with 2019 marking another step-up in quality. The wine is full-bodied, silky, fresh, vibrant, pure and lively. The nose is packed with wet earth, herbs, flowers, tobacco, espresso and ripe, sweet, red berries. There is serious lift and energy here with a finish that lingers, giving you more time to spend with all of its graceful, lifted, pure, sweet, fresh plums, blackberries, spice and currants. This will age and evolve for at least 2-3 decades.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dusty nose with red and dark fruits and floral notes. Good driving acidity and round silky tannins carried and lifted the dark savory fruit. Finished long and clean.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very good all round but slightly disappointing in the context of the vintage and given that I have bought a case! I suspect given the good early tasting notes that this will develop better than expected. A previous vintage blossomed just as I got to the last bottle of a half case.
Tasted side by side 2018 and 2018 Chsteau d'Issan. Photo uploaded here. Group preferred the 2018.
18 Issan Prominent green bellpepper, some violet, mint, blackcurrant juice, blackberry, cedar, some tobacco. Medium body, supple yet maintaining good freshness and tension. 92
19 Issan Riper fruits than 18 and less pronounced herbaceous notes. A bit jammy, lacking the floral charm of 18. A bit rough tannin that needs time 90.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bordeaux 2019 from barrel (From various locations, finally putting together these wine reviews): Here we have a Margaux that comes across a bit more Pauillac like, coiled in. But an undeniable high quality of tannin, very smooth. Very high potential. Looking forward to revisiting again. Along with the Brane Cantenac, the strongest showing among the Margaux that I tasted from barrel. Crus et Domaines de France tasting. 93-95+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gentle aromas of flowers, wet earth, tobacco, espresso and red fruits permeate the nose. Elegant and refined in character, the wine falls gently over your palate with warm tones of ripe, sweet, fresh plums, blackberries, spice and freshness, so you discover lift, energy, length and purity. This will age and evolve for at least 2-3 decades. The wine was produced from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The Grand Vin was produced from only 47% of the harvest. 94-96 Pts
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
With Emmanuel Cruse on Zoom. The 2019 is a 70:30 Cab Sav-Merlot blend, 55% new oak and 13.4% abv. Bright hue with initial inkiness then a spicey, seductive perfumed beautifully aromatic nose emerges. Perfectly ripe but not overripe fruit, purity, elegance, finesse and super fine tannins. Silky palate and fine finish. Glorious! I am hooked.
4/13/2024 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 91 Points
1986/2019/2020. i have little experience with this estate, except for the 24 bottles of their 2018 2nd wine, Blason d’Issan, which was a fantastic value and very enjoyable. At PnP, the 1986 is showing some primary fruit but clearly beyond its crescendo but still enjoyable. a bit thin, fully resolved tannins. dark berries and cassis quite noticeable. a bit of bricking. enjoyable yet noticeably different stylistically from a typical bordeaux or even a margaux. 2019 and 2020 exhibit the same fruit profile, 2019 coming across lighter, less tannins and not much on the nose. 2020 offers quite a pleasing olfactory experience and more density and concentration of fruit. perhaps the 2019 is shutting down, or it is a vintage variation? time will tell. currently decanting the 19/20 and letting the 1986 slow ox in the wine fridge after a double decant to remove sediment (of which there was surprisingly little). will sample again in 2 hrs
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/30/2024 - chrisk525 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Currants, cassis, slight pepper, and perfumed silkiness on the nose. Smooth, polished, elegant, light body, medium acidity, fine tannins. Not concentrated or powerful. More delicate. Immediacy of the aftertaste seems to retreat early but a residual longevity lingers with a fine delicate aroma.
Not sure what to make of this...a bit too light and thin for my taste, but has some very good qualities. A high quality, fresh purity of fruit and aromatics.
Might need more time in bottle but drinking well now. I'll have to revisit as this is not the typical powerhouse bordeaux I enjoy but more of a delicate burgundy experience, albeith with a bordeaux taste profile.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2024 - adamanko wrote:
Not ready. Hold.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/14/2023 - Motz wrote: 95 Points
Pulled the cork on the bottle previously accessed by Coravin.
Air allowed the wine to reveal gorgeous bouquet. Blackcurrant and blackberry, with red berry top notes, violets, herbal teas, summer potpourri, and incredible mineral depth. Balanced oak treatment and seamless alcohol allow the perfume to shine. Compelling in all respects.
Precision and tension characterize the tasting experience. Juicy, gritty, and compact. Acid and tannin dance across the palate. Harmonious transitions, gripping back, exceptionally long finish, evocative of Left Bank purity and Margaux sexiness.
Nothing overpowering and yet the wine begs for no less than a decade in the cellar and will likely evolve for two. All elements point to a wine that should reach fully maturity by 2050. Stellar QPR. Worth seeking out! 95-96.
12 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
11/13/2023 - Rbhan12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely wine, classic Margaux. Needs hours to open up but once it does shows nice red fruits, elegant florals, nice earthy tones of red rocks.
Astounding value and will age beautifully in the cellar. 92-93
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2023 - anthroman wrote:
Showing very promising but also shut down at the same time. Drank over 3 hours. Red fruits, tobacco, herbs. Some Margaux florals came out early on but receded. Palate integrated well over the course of the bottle, but the finish remained astringent and tannic. I might recommend holding at this point or else a long decant to check in early.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2023 - kostaslonis wrote:
2019 Bordeaux Tasting, MW tasting (Vintner's Hall, London): 70% CS 30% Mer, 14%
Black fruit, bold, licorice, earthy, some coffee liqueur notes, thick oak frame
Palate is juicy, with nice fruit, low tannins, some earthy notes, med body, short-ish finish
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2023 - ChardsNotSharts Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful bramble, black fruit and oak integration. Vanilla, cola, and cloves. Great for a nice cool fall evening over looking out the backcountry out our back porch.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2023 - maxima wrote: 80 Points
Sur le tertiaire et fané, court, vert et mince.
Pas pour moi!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2023 - JLCFan wrote: 85 Points
really quite oaky. Brambly black fruit. Quite mineral and quite savory. Unresolved tannin. Big, but perfumed. Oaky and super structured, racy acidity and big tannic backbone. Perhaps it needs to age; a I found this way too oaky, with astringency smothering the fruit.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2023 - bdisk1235 wrote:
No rating right now as this wine was pretty shut down and the fruit was overwhelmed by a wall of tannin. The flavor of the wine was very nice, but this is going to need a long time and is not open for business currently. Buy some, lay them down and forget about them.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2023 - kitkat4 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consumed over three days, did not decant. Day 1 initial sip comes across as slightly closed but quickly expands to tart and black cherry, blueberry, and raspberry. Long finish, ending with dusty tannins.
Day 2 the wine seemed "big" and I wasn't able to enjoy it as much (sorry, I know that isn't a good description but I didn't take any notes).
Day 3 softer than day 2,very fruity and easy to drink with tart berries still predominating, medium+ acidity, and still soft, but no longer dusty, tannins.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2023 - Sp@rk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had over 2 days. Very smooth tannins, medium palate depth, slight kick from alcohol.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2023 - alanr wrote: 91 Points
Dark, not quite opaque, a little dark mineral on the nose, hint creosote and oak; palate shows moderate depth of flavor, darker berry, with some higher toned brightness, maybe some oak spice, plenty of acidity, tannins are very fine and relatively modest, frankly just perceptible. Quite nice and even drinkable now, but I would fuess that 5-8 years should do this nicely.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with the wine group (Sole Ristorante, San Mateo): Double decanted 6 hours. Aromatic, black fruited, blackberry; palate is full bodied, soft tannins, black fruits, some capsicum, good balance; finish is medium length. A bit soft textured compared to other young Bordeaux I’ve tried, but otherwise a really lovely and approachable Bordeaux. 91-92
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/16/2023 - SuperSomm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby colour. Pronounced and developing nose with blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, vanilla, cedar and tobacco. Pronounced taste of blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, eucalyptus, black pepper, licorice, vanilla, cloves and cedar. Long and dry finish. High acidity. High tannins. Medium body. A very good Margaux with great potential. Drink in ten to twenty years. Goes well with beef or lamb.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I’ve had this wine at least 6 times, and it is outstanding every single time. Today, it is so balance, floral, red fruits, medium plus acidity, fine tannin, good finish, so earthy. Classy Bordeaux. Unmatched QPR.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2023 - edub7 wrote: 95 Points
Floral with that Margaux perfume nose jumping from the glass. Dark and deep in color, palate is silky and fine. There is underlining structure here, but for now, the oak has taken a back seat, waiting to reemerge. Decent length and mid palate, but finesse driven. This wine will indeed age well. While open knit currently, I suspect it may start to shut down for its life ahead. A worthy addition to your cellar. I did notice a few corks seemed to vary in regard to fit and some dusty traits. Beware of it. Otherwise a real beauty. 95+
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2023 - Rune Schwartz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lively, still quite undevrloped. Would guess feminine style.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
5/28/2023 - WetRock wrote:
Decanted about 8 hours prior to consumption. A micro taste when initially popped found it quite tight. Nice dark fruits with notes of graphite and cedar. The decanting helped a good deal, even if it still showed like an infant after many hours. Purple fruited over a strongly structured core. I really appreciated the classic stylings here next to some other wines from warm vintages that were really fruit forward. In this we had an '18 LPoyferre just prior to this that was very open and fruity. It was quite the contrast which may have painted this by contrast even more structured, classic that it was. A revisit a couple hours later showed it closing down, only leaving light purple fruit left. Very nice in any case but in severe need of sleep.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/27/2023 - Sundbyberg wrote: 90 Points
Napa evening with one bottle of Bordeaux (semiblind):
2016 Dunn Howell Mountain: A bit thin, lacking power. I have only had the 2013 before, but it was better. Wait 5 years or so: 92 pts.
2017 Beringer Private Reserve: A really good wine with depth and seductive fruit, without being over the top. 95 pts
2018 Gallica - I really liked the 2008 but the 2018 was just so-so: 91 pts
2019 Chateau Issan: Not convincing. Loved the 2018 but the 2019 did not deliver. 90 pts.
All bottles were opened 5 days in advance and then decanted before dinner. They all improved during our dinner.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
5/10/2023 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Five 2019 Left Bank Wines, First through Fifth Growths: The surprise of the tasting, given recent, somewhat underwhelming, vintages. Compelling purity and freshness throughout. The second prettiest bouquet of the tasting, yet by terroir, it aligned most closely with the Margaux, perhaps unsurprisingly so. Marginally more purple fruited than red, harmoniously balanced. In a word: Classic!
Striking composure and precision on the palate. It put my mind to the style that faded significantly after 2005. Balanced in all phases and transitions. Deft extraction, judicious oak treatment, seamless alcohol (particularly compared to the boozy '18 vintage, tasted recently). Medium plus acid, medium tannins; this is built to age. Likely to shut down in the near term, for no less than five to seven years. The most impressive d'Issan I have tasted in recent memory, paralleled only by the '10 vintage. 94-95.
EHC placed this first, on account of its overall balance. I placed it third, behind the Pontet-Canet and Margaux.
16 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
5/4/2023 - Firemanbrandon Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is delicious! Fine powdery tannin, nice acidity and fruit. Beautiful floral nose. Well balanced with great mouthfeel. Finished long... like still have the wonderful lingering taste and aroma of the wine on your senses while you head off to bed long... Drinking well right now, but will surely be even better when it matures.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2023 - vino vidi vici Likes this wine:
Excellent quality for sure... fine tannin shows Margaux profile nicely. However, it's too young and deserves to be laid down awhile. Needs to develop some sour funky flavors over time. That'll make it interesting.
** Day 2 - to be fair, the sour note emerged increasing its mouthwatering appeal. Yum.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2023 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Terrific d'Issan and one of the few estates where the 2019 might end up the leader of the pack in the recent string of mighty fine vintages. This is fully expressive and well-composed from the pop of the cork in a retro, throwback style with chewy, muscular tannins. Most estates these days are aiming for a suppler texture but here the structure serves the wine well and you enjoy it precisely for what it is. The tannins are grippy but not drying or impinging on the fruit, which is bold and black-complexioned with accents of toasted cedar and charcoal. But the main appeal here is that this is a wine that just comes across very comfortable and at ease with itself; it's well-balanced and well-tailored and a relaxing wine to drink.
16 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2023 - thalver wrote: flawed
Decanted for about 45 minutes and Corked. The TCA wasn't overwhelming, but was sufficient to rob the wine of flavor. From what I could tell, it seemed to have a promising acid/tannin and flavor balance.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2023 - stamperb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose: Pretty nose, ocean, sweet leather, balance of mixed berries. Palate: Chalky mixed berries; very challenging to pull out individual fruits on both the palate and nose (wild berry smoothie might be the most appropriate descriptor here), watermelon rind, meatiness, vanilla creme on the finish with a hint of sweet mint as well; full-bodied with velvety tannins.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2023 - brybts Likes this wine: 91 Points
Overall: this is excellent wine, approachable now but with both intensity and balance to age well. It’s tight but a couple hours in the decanter opened it up quite well.
Appearance: dark ruby, almost opaque
Nose: dark fruit, soil, granite, maybe some leather or savory meatiness; after several hours in the decanter a bit of molasses showed up
Palate: medium-high acid, medium-high tannins; fruit forward with allspice on the entry, black tea.
Finish: goes on forever, drying, slightly bitter depending on what you’re eating with it
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2023 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep dark reddish-purple garnet in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, cassis & plums with earthy/dusty & herbal overtones, floral notes, spices, mint, minerals & a touch of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blueberries & plums with herbs, minerals, spices & oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks well at present with decanting & extended airing (+90 min.) but will develop further with additional aging at which time it may merit a higher score (94+).
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2023 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
Sings like a bird, as always. Medium-bodied, so much charm, tannins are so soft. Has it's youthfulness making things a bit closed, but this is one of the most approachable Bordeaux in a very approachable vintage.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/28/2023 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted 15 min. before initial taste on Day 1 --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hrs. on Day 1; revisited on Day 3 --
NOSE: DAY 1: very oaky; reserved red/purple fruit mix; faintly floral; buttery/garlicky Utz pub mix; transitioned to a more pure purple fruit profile around the 2 hr. mark. DAY 3: reserved/tight/closed; purple fruited; some smoldery oak.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: DAY 1: oaky; pleasant savory note; very gentle tannins; acidity is adequate -- juicy; despite being oaky, this is quite elegant, approachable, and moreish; strikes me as a good medium-term ager (15 - 25 years). Paired well with beef pot roast and root vegetables (carrots; parsnips; rutabaga; mushrooms). Needs time to come into focus, but there's no harm in opening a bottle now to see what you're working with. Gut impression score: 92 - 94.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
3/12/2023 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 92 Points
colour is v dark but clear. nose is restrained, subtle, with cassis, slightly dusty, a touch of green pepper, a touch of mint. palate is young and fruity and has some good acidic bite up front but it also feels like it’s holding something back. some good tannin (which seemingly grows in stature with air) but mid palate thru finish is a tad abrupt. feeling like this has all kinds of potential. hold at least 5, if not 10.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2023 - Jon Harrison Likes this wine: 92 Points
(Imported by Latitude Wines)
Color: Dark ruby. But not opaque.
Nose: Pure black cassis fruit with a touch of mineral, black olive, and light graphite/pencil lead. No tobacco. Lovely and pure. Lacks complexity to rate higher (but this would come with age).
Pal: Medium full to full body. Very good concentration. Young but fine tannins. No overt oak (good). Fine, elegant, superb balance. 13.5% alc. Lovely, modern Margaux.
91-92 pts: Now
92-94 pts: Potential.
Drink: 2023-2035. Best window: 2026-2035.
This would develop more complexity after 2026.
Excellent value in Bordeaux.
JGH sommelier CMS-III, San Francisco, California.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2023 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
If you looked up Margaux in a textbook, it should show this wine. An elegant, effusively floral and refined claret, with a very pretty core of currant, cherry, and red plum fruit. This is not a wine that wants to make a statement, but it manages to keep your attention with its subtle evolution and complexity. Very different than the Brane-Cantenac I had a few nights ago, but both are compelling wines.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
1/5/2023 - Romol Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Already a very good Chateau d'Issan and it will be even better with 10 more years in the cellar. Really a fair price. 92 pts. at the moment.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2022 - Everything Ahead wrote: 92 Points
This is a classic claret in the making. I am finding the 2019 vintage a bit "off" in general compared with other recent vintages, but this wine seemed balanced from the get-go in the alcohol/oak/acidity dept. Best right after a short (2 hr) decant. After a double decant the next day the tannins started to show themselves more, so either enjoy now with a brief decant or hold for 10+ years. It has complexity already with charcoal, cedar, chocolate, cassis, pipe tobacco. Elegant wine in the making for sure. Nicely done. Rating: 92++
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2022 - cigarblend wrote:
Rene Langdahl, september 2022:
Château d’Issan 2019
Ganske enkelt mesterlig og jeg har aldrig smagt så vellykket d’Issan. Slank, alligevel ultraintens, poleret tannin, næse af kirsebær, blyant og blåbær. Jeg skrev simpelthen ”wauw!” i mine noter.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/16/2022 - KAT9 Likes this wine: 93 Points
After 3 hours in the decanter, the first sniff, alcohol was still aggressive. On the palate, it is more manageable. Some red fruit, earthy, tobacco leaves, tannin and acidity are well matched. Good balance. Followed for a few hours, and it did not change much, maybe a little worse toward the end. At $50, it's a good QPR wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2022 - John McCabe wrote: 95 Points
This is a delightful vintage of d'Issan, one of the most consistent wines I enjoy from Bordeaux. This has the classic house notes - beautiful blue and black fruit, with a real lift, along with creme de cassis, some forest floor, nice acidity, medium-bodied. I love this producer and this is no exception. This feels light on its feet and surprisingly not even tannic at this very early stage - it can drink well young. Missing the concentration of the '05 and not as complete as the '12 but might otherwise be the most inviting d'Issan I can remember. Bought this to try as I've a full case coming, and so glad I've the case.
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (7)
3/29/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
d'Issan has been on a roll lately with 2019 marking another step-up in quality. The wine is full-bodied, silky, fresh, vibrant, pure and lively. The nose is packed with wet earth, herbs, flowers, tobacco, espresso and ripe, sweet, red berries. There is serious lift and energy here with a finish that lingers, giving you more time to spend with all of its graceful, lifted, pure, sweet, fresh plums, blackberries, spice and currants. This will age and evolve for at least 2-3 decades.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2022 - Tudz Drkl Likes this wine:
Dusty nose with red and dark fruits and floral notes. Good driving acidity and round silky tannins carried and lifted the dark savory fruit. Finished long and clean.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2022 - wineforth Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good all round but slightly disappointing in the context of the vintage and given that I have bought a case! I suspect given the good early tasting notes that this will develop better than expected. A previous vintage blossomed just as I got to the last bottle of a half case.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/4/2021 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted side by side 2018 and 2018 Chsteau d'Issan. Photo uploaded here. Group preferred the 2018.
18 Issan
Prominent green bellpepper, some violet, mint, blackcurrant juice, blackberry, cedar, some tobacco. Medium body, supple yet maintaining good freshness and tension. 92
19 Issan
Riper fruits than 18 and less pronounced herbaceous notes. A bit jammy, lacking the floral charm of 18. A bit rough tannin that needs time 90.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2021 - wineappellation wrote: 90 Points
Very ripe almost jammy nose with floral and herbaceous notes. A bit simple and light palate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (9)
9/29/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bordeaux 2019 from barrel (From various locations, finally putting together these wine reviews): Here we have a Margaux that comes across a bit more Pauillac like, coiled in. But an undeniable high quality of tannin, very smooth. Very high potential. Looking forward to revisiting again. Along with the Brane Cantenac, the strongest showing among the Margaux that I tasted from barrel. Crus et Domaines de France tasting. 93-95+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2020 - JS79 Likes this wine: 93 Points
67PM tasting with Emmanuel Cruse
Opulent, silky fine tannins, spicy, tobacco and not sweet but full, ripe, fruit, post rain stone feel.
Final blend finished Jan 2020
70%cab 30 Merlot alcohol 13.37%
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Gentle aromas of flowers, wet earth, tobacco, espresso and red fruits permeate the nose. Elegant and refined in character, the wine falls gently over your palate with warm tones of ripe, sweet, fresh plums, blackberries, spice and freshness, so you discover lift, energy, length and purity. This will age and evolve for at least 2-3 decades. The wine was produced from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The Grand Vin was produced from only 47% of the harvest. 94-96 Pts
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2020 - schneesurfer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Red Cherries, raspberries and fine vanilla. Wonderful sweet mouthfeeling supported by a lively acidity. Fine trannins in a medium finish. Good d'Issan
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2020 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 95 Points
With Emmanuel Cruse on Zoom. The 2019 is a 70:30 Cab Sav-Merlot blend, 55% new oak and 13.4% abv. Bright hue with initial inkiness then a spicey, seductive perfumed beautifully aromatic nose emerges. Perfectly ripe but not overripe fruit, purity, elegance, finesse and super fine tannins. Silky palate and fine finish. Glorious! I am hooked.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)