The 2016 d'Issan, a Bordeaux blend from the Margaux sub-region, is a red wine that has garnered notable praise from wine critics. This vintage is composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot, and has been aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak barrels for 18 months. With an alcohol content of 13.0%, it promises a balance of power and elegance.
James Suckling awarded the wine an impressive score of 96, highlighting its "brightness and precision" with "floral, blackcurrant character." He noted its "full-bodied" nature and "polished tannins," describing it as a "beauty" that will continue to evolve over the next few years. Similarly, Wine Enthusiast also scored it 96, appreciating its "austere structure" and "attractive black-currant flavor," advising patience until after 2029 for optimal enjoyment.
Decanter gave the highest score of 97, noting the wine's "depth and persistency" and its potential to "power out of the gate in five or six years," with flavors laced with "liquorice, cinnamon and black chocolate." The Wine Independent also scored it 96, praising the wine's "powerful scents of creme de cassis, blackberry pie, and stewed plums" and the "solid structure of firm, grainy tannins."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck both rated the wine 94, with the former emphasizing its "vibrant black cherries and blackcurrants notes" and "long savory finish," while the latter called it a "beautiful, elegant, seamless wine" with "integrated acidity" and "perfect balance."
Vinous, offering a slightly lower score of 92, described it as "bold and succulent," with a "supple, easygoing" nature, while noting potential for increased complexity with age.
Overall, the 2016 d'Issan is a structured and promising wine, worthy of attention for those with the patience to let it reach its full potential.
