The 2011 Château d’Issan offers a beautiful balance of concentration and energy, a hallmark of the Margaux region. It has a touch of florality and a savory character with dry fruit notes, complemented by a juicy freshness. Made from 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot, it's full-bodied with fine tannins and a long, elegant finish. With aging potential, it's great now but will continue to evolve until 2040. This wine showcases the classic elegance of Margaux with its soft, supple texture and remarkable purity.

Decanter | D 95
Published: Feb 19, 2021
Drink: 2021-2040

This is great, easily one of the best of the Margaux lineup. It has concentration and that sense of 2011 savoury, almost dry fruit but it is balanced by juice and a sense of energy. Great feeling of Margaux character with touches of florality. 57% of production in the first wine.

James Suckling | JS 90
Published: Mar 13, 2015

Gorgeous aromas of orange peel, mint, bay leaf and currants. Full to medium body, chewy tannins and a lightly austere finish. Walnut. Needs more time to soften. Better in 2015.

The Wine Advocate | RP 88
Published: Apr 30, 2014
Drink: 2014-2024

Its bigger sister, the 2011 d’Issan exhibits an attractive perfume of black cherries, earth and background loamy soil and oak notes. Although elegant, medium-bodied and well-made, it is less impressive than other vintages have been over the last 10-15 years. Drink it over the next decade.

Jancis Robinson | JR 16
Published: Oct 21, 2021
Drink: 2020-2030

Tasted blind. Bright crimson. Light, rather occluded nose. But good ripe fruit on the palate. Not quite enough mellifluous follow-through but decent enough.

Chateau-issan.com

Château d’Issan is a Third Growth of the 1855 Imperial Classification. The wine is made from the old vines in the Château d’Issan enclosure in the middle of the Margaux appellation. The soil here is mainly made up of surface gravel on top of a clay subsoil, which contributes to optimal ripeness and freshness in our two grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Château d’Issan expresses the exquisite bouquet so characteristic of Margaux, and stands out with its suppleness, subtlety, elegance and long keeping potential that come from its unique terroir. Château d’Issan is aged in barrels for 16 to 18 months, half of which are new. Annual production is around 100,000 bottles.

2011 is a superb vintage, thanks to improving weather after the atypical spring and meticulous care in the vineyard during sorting, and in the cellar. It’s a worthy successor to 2009 & 2010 and very much in the same line, exhibiting elegance, grace and balance with mature fruit, fine tannins, and a beautiful structure. The purity is remarkable, with an exhilarating freshness and the silky texture which is hallmark of Margaux.

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 13.2%
Closure: Natural Cork
Harvest: 2011
Oak: 17 months in French oak, 50% new barrels
Varietals: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot
Vineyard Area: 95 ha
Soil: Deep Garonnais gravel
Harvest: Hand-picked with meticulous sorting
Vinification: Fermented in stainless steel and concrete vats with careful selection and extraction
Yield: 36 hl/ha
Consulting Oenologist: Éric Boissenot
Region: Margaux AOC, Margaux, Bordeaux, France
Classification: 3rd Grand Cru Classé 1855

Serving Temperature: 16–18°C
Decanting: 30–45 minutes
Food Pairing: Roast lamb, beef, duck, venison, grilled meats, mushrooms, truffle and mature hard cheeses