Chateau D'Issan

In the village of Margaux-Cantenac lies one of Bordeaux’s oldest working wine estates. Château d’Issan has been producing wine since the Middle Ages, and its status as a ‘Third Growth’ in the famous 1855 classification is, in fact, a relatively recent addition to its history.

History

The history begins in the 12th century, when the estate was a fortified seigneury known as La Motte-Cantenac. According to some accounts, wine from this estate was served at the wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the future King of England, Henry II, in 1152. Over the following centuries, the estate passed from one noble family to another, until in 1575 it came into the possession of the Esseno family, who eventually shortened their name to ‘Issan’.

The present-day château, with its towers, gates and moat, was built around the same time, whilst the wall surrounding the vineyards was added in 1644. In 1787, Thomas Jefferson included this wine in his list of the finest Bordeaux estates, whilst the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph was so enamoured of it that he bestowed upon the estate the motto: ‘For the table of kings and the altar of the gods’.

Having going through a difficult period between the two world wars, the estate was acquired and restored by the Cruz family in 1945. Emmanuel Cruz, who took over the management of the vineyards and cellars in 1998, further improved the quality of the produce. In 2012, the Lorenzetti family, who own two other estates in the Médoc, joined the Cruz family as co-owners.

Vineyards

The vineyards of Château d’Issan are situated in the very heart of the Margaux appellation, neighbouring Château Palmer and Château Margaux itself. The estate covers a total area of 68 hectares: 55 hectares within the Margaux appellation, 5 hectares in Haut-Médoc and 8 hectares in Bordeaux-Supérieur.

The oldest and most valuable plots are situated within the historic walled complex, the ‘Clos’, built in 1644.

Terroir

The vineyard is situated on gravelly hills formed on alluvial ridges created by erosion, with clay soil beneath. This combination ensures good drainage, forcing the vines to send their roots deep in search of water and minerals, which is generally a good sign for the concentration and character of Bordeaux wines. The estate’s location near the mouth of the Gironde River ensures a mild, balanced climate, whilst its position almost exactly on the 45th parallel guarantees stable weather conditions with mild winters and long, warm summers.

Grape varieties

The vineyard is planted with 65 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 35 per cent Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon lends the wine structure, aromatic complexity and ageing potential, whilst Merlot makes the blend rounder and softer. The average age of the vines is 35 years; they were mainly planted during the replanting carried out after the estate passed into the hands of the Cruz family in 1945.

Winemaking

The grapes are harvested by hand: every autumn, around a hundred pickers are involved in the process, many of whom return year after year thanks to a long-standing partnership with a Danish school. The grapes are sorted twice: first by hand, then on a vibrating table, after which they flow by gravity into temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, where they are stored separately by vineyard plot. Fermentation and maceration last between 18 and 24 days.

The decision on the blend is made in January and February by the technical team in collaboration with consultant oenologist Éric Boissenot, after which the wine is aged for 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels, approximately half of which are new.

Wines

The estate’s flagship wine, Château d’Issan, is produced in a run of around 100,000 bottles a year and is renowned for its elegant, smooth style with great ageing potential.

The second wine, Blason d’Issan, was launched in 1995; it is made from grapes harvested from younger vines, giving it a rounder and more approachable style, intended for early drinking.

In addition, the estate produces the wines ‘O-Médoc d’Issan’ and ‘Moulin d’Issan’ (Bordeaux Supérieur), as well as a small quantity of the white wine ‘Blanc d’Issan’, which complements a range built on eight centuries of winemaking on the same plot of Margaux gravel soils.

The best vintages of D'Issan

For the last 25 years Chateau D'Issan is producing more and more vintages with increasing scores and reviews. Exceptional vintages are amongst others 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015,2018, 2019, 2020, 2022.