This beautiful elegant 2003 is a top-notch success for Margaux. More accessible and softer than usual it boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as a beautiful bouquet of flowers black currants plums and underbrush. Medium-bodied velvety-textured opulent and complex it can be consumed now and over the next 10-15 years.

Château d’Issan has made a very good effort in the 2003 vintage- not that this wine would ever confuse anyone with a great, classic vintage for this estate- but, this is one of the stronger wines I have tasted from the year. The bouquet is borderline overripe, but does not (yet?) cross that threshold and offers up scents of sappy black cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, game, leather and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite fat on the attack, with reasonable balance, some firm, underripe tannins on the backend and a bit of pepper perking up the long, low acid finish. Like so many 2003s, this is chewy and probably will stay that way for life, but today, it does deliver some pleasure and is reasonably successful for the vintage. 2012-2030+?