A Margaux Cantenac Third Growth with Cabernet Sauvignon led reds, gravel, clay and limestone soils, and French oak ageing.
The producer
Château d'Issan is a Third Growth château in Margaux Cantenac and one of the oldest wine producing properties in the Médoc and all of Bordeaux. Its vineyard lies on gravel with clay and limestone on gentle, rolling slopes, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as the leading grapes. The estate wine is aged in French oak before bottling. The Cruse family acquired the vineyard in 1945, and Jacky Lorenzetti bought a 50% stake in 2013.
Known for
Cabernet led Margaux reds
Notable facts
Château d'Issan is a Third Growth in the 1855 classification.
The vineyard covers 52 hectares of gravel with clay and limestone on gentle, rolling slopes.
The vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
Château d'Issan is aged in 50% new French oak for an average of 18 months before bottling.
The story
Lorenzetti Buys A Stake
In 2013, Jacky Lorenzetti purchased a 50% stake in Château d'Issan, the historic Médoc property. The vineyard covered 52 hectares of gravel with clay and limestone on gentle, rolling slopes. It was planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, and the estate wine was aged in French oak before bottling. The sale added a new named owner to a property that is one of the oldest wine producing estates in the Médoc and all of Bordeaux.
From the atlas
Château d'Issan
A Third Growth château in Margaux-Cantenac, with gravel, clay and limestone soils and a Cabernet Sauvignon led red wine.
Château d'Issan is one of the oldest wine producing properties in the Médoc and all of Bordeaux. It is a château in Margaux-Cantenac and a Third Growth in the 1855 classification. A Third Growth is one of the estates named in Bordeaux's 1855 hierarchy. The estate's red wine comes from a vineyard led by Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and smaller plantings of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
Place
Margaux is the appellation on the estate's address, in the Bordeaux region. An appellation is a regulated geographic name that identifies where the grapes come from and which regional rules govern the wine. Here, Margaux places Château d'Issan inside a named Bordeaux wine area, while Margaux-Cantenac identifies the commune where the château and vineyard are located.
Wines
Château d'Issan is the estate's named red wine. The 2019 vintage is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon commonly brings cassis and firm tannin, while Merlot contributes plum fruit and a rounder palate. Those grape roles place dark fruit and firm tannin in the same glass before barrel ageing adds another layer.
In The Glass
Cabernet Sauvignon brings cassis and firm tannin to Bordeaux, while Merlot softens the middle of the palate with plum fruit. Château d'Issan is aged in French oak for an average of 18 months, with half of the barrels new. New oak can add cedar, toast and spice, while time in barrel allows tannin to feel more integrated. The profile moves from dark fruit to a firm, oak seasoned finish.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Château d'Issan as the first bottle. It is the estate's named red from Margaux and the wine whose name matches the château itself. The bottle carries the classified estate name, the Margaux place name and the principal grape pairing in one label. Its vintage format also places the wine's ageing regime alongside a specific year.
Final Word
An old Margaux château with Cabernet Sauvignon at its centre and French oak in its élevage, Château d'Issan remains a classified Bordeaux red.