Château d’Issan 2023 — professional critic scores (Margaux, Bordeaux)
Major ratings
- James Suckling: 96–97 points
Notes pure fruit expression (blackcurrant, raspberry), floral lift, fine tannins, and a precise, linear structure.
- Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): 95 points
Describes it as balanced, fresh, and classically styled with Margaux elegance.
- Wine Advocate (Robert Parker team): 93–95 points
Highlights a velvety texture, cassis fruit, floral notes, and a long finish with good depth.
- Vinous (Antonio Galloni / Neal Martin): 93–95 points (some barrel variations noted lower)
Characterized as dense and structured, with some samples showing power over immediate charm.
- William Kelley (Wine Advocate): 93–95 points
Focuses on concentration, structure, and aging potential.
- Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Independent): 92–94+ points
Notes purity, balance, and firm but refined tannins.
- Decanter: 95 points
Emphasizes aromatic lift, freshness, and refined structure.
- Falstaff: 94 points
Describes a polished, structured Margaux with good depth.
Overall critical consensus
Style
Château d’Issan 2023 is generally described as a more concentrated and structured expression than typical for the estate, while still retaining Margaux floral elegance.
Tasting profile
Common descriptors include:
- Blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry
- Violet and floral notes
- Fine-grained, polished tannins
- Noticeable structure and density for the château
Aging potential
Most critics recommend:
- Drinking window: approximately 2028–2048
- Peak maturity likely in the mid-2030s onward
Summary
- Overall score range: 92–97 points
- Style: structured, concentrated Margaux with floral finesse
- Consensus: high-quality vintage with strong aging potential, slightly more serious and structured than typical Issan expressions
96-97pts James Suckling
The purity of the fruit is really wonderful here, with blackcurrants, orange peel and raspberries. Aromatic. Full body, chewy tannins and a juicy finish. But it remains linear and vivid. The quality of the tannins and the powdery texture are really alluring. Silky. And so precise. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 2.5% cabernet franc and 2.5% petit verdot. 13.83% alcohol. 3.66 pH.
95pts Decanter
Lovely fragrance, dried rose petals and raspberry fruit. Really scented and aromatic - quite inviting. Rich and juicy, a lovely weight with some chew to the expression. I like the charm on show - it’s got that fruit forwardness with licks of minty wet stone as well as fine tannins and mouthwatering acidity. Overall feels quite serious with more power on show than some, a tamed beast right now and you can feel the Petit Verdot in the blend. Round and forward, but still super finessed. This should evolve nicely. 50% grand vin production. 3.66pH. 2.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Ageing 50% new oak.
95pts Jane Anson
First time not to have Malbec in the main Issan wine since the purchase of the neighbouring estate Pontac Lynch in 2020. 50% new oak, 32hl/h yield. Fine tannins, well balanced, inky and powerful but with oyster shell salinity. Chalky tanins with touch of En Primeur asterity, well constructed, full of cocoa bean, cassis, liqourice root, classical balance. 30hl/h yield.
93-95pts Wine Advocate
The 2023 D'Issan shows excellent potential, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, pen ink and white flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping palate that's rich, fleshy and charming, with lively acids, good depth at the core and a long, sapid finish. It's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
93-95pts Vinous
The 2023 d'Issan is a powerful, dense wine, especially for a property where the wines tend to be more understated. A rich, muscular Margaux, the 2023 d'Issan exudes intensity in all of its dimensions. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2023 is going to need a number of years to shed some of its considerable baby fat. Dried herbs, tobacco, incense and bold, dark-toned fruit flow into the deep, resonant finish.
92-94pts The Wine Independent
The 2023 d'Issan is deep garnet-purple in color. Quite closed to start off, it requires a lot of shaking to wake up scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, and juicy strawberries followed by nuances of menthol, fallen leaves, dried lavender, and Indian spices. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of expressive black and red berry flavors with loads of spicy accents and a fine-grained texture, finishing with a floral lift. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new oak, with pH 3.66.
