Tasted at the Château d'Issan vertical at the property, the 2006 Château d'Issan has a clean and precise bouquet, vibrant black fruit with touches of slate coming through with time in the glass. There is a strictness here and you get the sense that the aromatics are holding something back for later. The palate is well balanced, surprisingly supple in the mouth with well-judged acidity, clean and pure with a gorgeous saline note coming through on the long finish. This punches well above my expectations and comes highly recommended - a great Margaux from Emmanuel Cruse and his team. Tasted March 2016. - Neal Martin

The 2006 Château d’Issan is a very strong example of this very good vintage, wafting from the glass in a fine aromatic mix of cassis, blackberries, cigar smoke, a nice touch of fresh herbs, tobacco leaf, dark soil tones and new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and properly reserved for a young and serious claret, with a good core, ripe tannins and a long, well-balanced and utterly classic finish. The cépages here in 2006 was thirty-one percent merlot and sixty-nine percent cabernet sauvignon. All this lovely vintage of d’Issan needs is a bit more time in the cellar. 2018-2050. 91+

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JK2k40XlB_U"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JK2k40XlB_U" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Black/purple core with a fuchsia rim that fades to clear. Light dill over blackberry raspberry plum and hints of honeycomb and milk chocolate on the nose are followed by light orange zest and wet stone. Medium fruit and tannic structure up front although a little austere on the mid-palate. Finishes with good balanced of fruit and tannin yet fades a little quickly. Tasted twice with consistent notes.