Now consistently one of the great wines of the appellation, d’Issan has produced a dense purple-colored wine with a beautiful set of aromatics offering a smorgasbord of aromas such as perfumed flowers, incense, graphite, licorice, blueberry, and black currant. The wine is seamlessly constructed, like a fine dress from a haute couture house. With fabulous concentration of fruit, the ethereal elegance and sublime character of this wine make it seem to almost float across the palate with substantial flavor penetration and laser-like focus. This is a gorgeous example of 2006 that can be drunk in 3-4 years or cellared for over two decades. Good value.

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.

Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Heady, layered, very Merlot nose. Thick and sweet and arguably over the top. Picked just a day or two late? (JR)