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.

The Wine Advocate | RP 87
Published: Mar 16, 2020
Drink: 2020 - 2028

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the nose of the 2017 Blason d'Issan is spicy with earth and tobacco undertones and black and red currants plus a waft of potpourri. Medium-bodied, it has a good fruit core, soft, plush tannins and an earthy finish.

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.

Winemaker

Blason d'Issan, our second wine, was introduced from 1995 onwards to enable selection amongst our vines growing in the Margaux appellation area. Fruit from our youngest vines is used to produce this wine, which respects the identity of its terroir, while offering a tasty round fruitiness, which can be enjoyed earlier. Blason d'Issan is also aged in barrels for 14 to 16 months, one third of which are new.