Château d'Issan 2018

Well-balanced, fleshed out by redcurrant, raspberry and black cherry fruits. There is tannic build-up, gently layering but adding up to quite the wall at this stage, suggesting a long life ahead, and beautifully judged cigar smoke edging through the finish. Good stuff from Issan, and a wine I have tasted both at en primeur and during ageing in barrel. 50% new oak.

A rather lean red with cherry, currant and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium body. Firm texture. A year or two more would allow it to soften. Drink or hold.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. 50% new barrels. Barrel sample. Deep core and cherry rim, not quite as black-hearted as most Bordeaux 2018s. Intense ripe cassis that is pure Cabernet. Nicely savoury too. Chewy and quite oaky on the palate, the tannins thickened by the oak but very smooth. Dense and still fresh. Very good. (JH)

The 2018 Château d’Issan offers fragrant blackberry, cedar and light peppermint scents on a nose that gently unfolds with aeration. This is charming and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and fine intensity. A dusting of dark chocolate appears toward the finish, which needs some time to fully cohere; cellar it for 4–6 years. A very capable Margaux that should develop well in bottle.

Silky, fresh, floral and pure, this gorgeous vintage of d'Issan is just great. The violet and lilac bouquet, with accents of tobacco leaf, cedar, and crème de cassis, draws you in right away. On the palate, the wine is refined, elegant, and displays its purity, freshness, and silky textures effortlessly. Give it 7–9 years in the bottle and enjoy it over the following two decades or more. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening at the rim. Ripe sweet cherry, red forest berry confit in the background, a hint of nougat and fig, fine herbal savouriness. Juicy, fine fruit sweetness, ripe, round tannins, fresh acidity, mineral-salty finish, red cherry on the aftertaste, a lively food wine, will benefit from bottle age. (2025-2040)

Kunz barrel sample 19: herbs, light bouquet, red berries, wood. Slim, light palate with delicate fruit, mealy tannins, sweet aromatics, light finish.

Herbs, light bouquet, red berries, wood. Slim, light palate with delicate fruit, powdery tannins, sweet aromatics, light finish. 16/20 2024 - 2036

The 2018 d’Issan has a deep garnet-purple color. It offers attractive, pure notes of blackcurrant pastilles, ripe blackberries, and redcurrant jelly, with hints of dried herbs and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, the palate shows vibrant fruit and soft tannins with plenty of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.

Complex and subtle bouquet, marked by the freshness of Cabernet and refined élevage. Inviting notes of wild berries and spices. On the palate, the wine stands out for its harmony, bridging finesse and power while remaining balanced and juicy. The tannins unfold slowly on the finish and provide impeccable support. A fine success that deserves a little cellaring.

The nose is elegant, delicate, powerful, racy, fully controlled/refined, offering intensity and a subtle, captivating hint. It reveals notes of vibrant wild blackcurrant, cornflower/lily and, more slightly, boysenberry, together with touches of juicy wild strawberry, licorice/star anise, nutmeg, camphor, as well as discreet hints of fresh hazelnut, varietal lift (adds pep), a subtle touch of crushed almond and pepper. The palate is fruity, fresh, elegant and gourmand, with lovely definition, purity, beautiful fruit, suavity, intensity and precision, along with a slight tension, silkiness, fine straightness, a finely creamy/fresh texture, density and a fine grain. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of vibrant cherry, pulpy raspberry and, more slightly, blackberry, combined with touches of vibrant blackcurrant, as well as hints of lily and cornflower, a subtle hint of zan, black tea, chocolate, a discreet hint of sweet spices and caramelization. The tannins are elegant, supple and precise. Good length and lovely persistence. An imperceptible touch of roasting on the finish/retro.

The top wine, the 2018 Château D'Issan, is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. It offers a beautiful, singular bouquet of blackcurrants, new leather, smoked tobacco, scorched earth, and camphor. This carries to a medium- to full-bodied, seamless Margaux with wonderful tannins, beautifully integrated acidity, and a flawlessly balanced, elegant, layered style that's going to evolve for 20–25 years. It's one classy 2018 that has loads to love.