Jamessuckling.com | JS 93
Published: Jan 10, 2020

You can tell that this is ripe with so much plum and peach character, yet it remains fresh and vivid. Medium to full body with ripe and round tannins and a savory undertone. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. So delicious already, but be patient and wait another two or three years. Try after 2021.

Decanter | D 88
Published: Dec 12, 2019
Drink: 2021 - 2028

Tight tannins still evident at this stage, it's not as generous as Blason normally is when young, and the acidity is a little higher than usual, reflecting the vintage. This is counterbalanced by tons of crisp red fruits, redcurrant and red cherry flavours with gentle chargrilled oak notes, and is enjoyable for drinking over the next four to eight years, although best to give it another year from now to soften the tannins. Bottled May 2019. The first vintage of this second wine came in 1994, launched fully in 1995, and typically accounts for around 50% of the production of any one year, with young vines coming from the Clos aswell as further the plots near to the commune of Arsac. 30% new oak.

Chateau-issan.com

The Strength of the Enclos
The dry and cold winter allowed for a good vegetative rest of the vine. The arrival of a beautiful and warm spring encouraged early budding. The Bordeaux vineyard experienced a severe frost on April 27 and 28, but the estate’s Enclos was not affected.

Indeed, the historic enclosure surrounding the Château was built in 1644. Its location near the Gironde Estuary provides our terroir with an exceptional microclimate and geology. As a result, our vineyard was spared from these successive drops in temperature.

A Record Bloom
Thanks to these favorable conditions, flowering was perfect, occurring in less than a week in a simultaneous and homogeneous manner across our two grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. At this stage, we observed a two-week advance in the growing cycle. A relatively early vintage was shaping up! The intense heat in June helped maintain this lead in vegetative development, while the life-saving rains of early July ensured a steady and progressive véraison (color change of the grapes), with mid-véraison recorded on July 25.

The Earliest Harvest Since 2003
The Merlot harvest took place from September 18 to September 27, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from September 25 to October 3. The combined effects of a short and uniform flowering resulted in our earliest harvest since the 2003 vintage. The grapes harvested displayed bright, well-ripened fruit, along with silky and refined tannins.

Blending
Blending was completed in mid-January with a harmonious selection. The 2017 vintage of Château d’Issan is unlike any other but remains entirely true to the authenticity of its historic terroir—the Enclos.