Anson: Tasting two decades of Château d’Issan

Just before Christmas, Emmanuel Cruse, the owner of Château d’Issan in Margaux, found records of a transaction of wine between the British crown of Henry III and the Seigneuries de Cantenac, part of which would become d’Issan.

Dating from 1242, this is the earliest known transaction of Bordeaux wine under a specific name, beating even Haut-Brion, which dates its earliest recorded transaction to 1521.

Scroll down to see Jane Anson’s tasting notes on Château d’Issan wines

The sale dates from 18 January 1242, requesting payment of 295 pounds sterling to the French merchant Pierre Caillau following the successful receipt of the wine by King Henry. If you walk down the Bordeaux quays today you’ll go past Porte Cailhau, reflecting the importance of what was one of the biggest merchant families of the Middle Ages.

The spelling change reflects a shift in the French language over the centuries. Information on this particular sale was held by the officers of the Exchequer in London, and was found by an historian employed by Château d’Issan to track what is easily one of the oldest estates on the Médoc peninsula, producing wine continually since the 12^th century.It all made me feel a little guilty, to be honest.

I had questioned the story, often repeated, that d’Issan was served at the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II on 11 May, 1152. He was Henri of Anjou at the time, succeeding to the throne of England two years later.

This tale just seemed too improbable to be true.

But the sale cited above came just 90 years later, directly to Eleanor and Henry’s grandson, making it more than likely that there had been earlier purchases from the same Seigneuries de Cantenac – part of which has become the 34ha walled ‘clos’ of d’Issan.

Emmanuelle Cruse, who has been in charge since 1998, is the third generation of his family to own d’Issan since Lionel Cruse bought the property in 1945 and rebuilt the estate from the three hectares that it had dwindled to.

Since 2013, Jacky Lorenzetti, the owner of Rugby club Racing 92, has taken a 50% stake. Cruse is still director and CEO.

Visiting d’Issan is still like stepping back in time, with its moat, turrets and battlements. The place is littered with protected monuments – not just the château building itself but two of its fireplaces are individually listed for their national importance. They are, as you can imagine, sculpted and carved to within an inch of their lives.

D’Issan also has one of only a handful of walled vineyards in Bordeaux, along with Clos Fourtet in St-Emilion, Léoville La Cases in St-Julien, Latour in Pauillac and Gilette in Sauternes.

Its wine is classic, too. It’s one of those bottles that you find yourself reaching for when you feel things shifting around you and you want the constancy of an old friend.

This was an impressive vertical with plenty of standout vintages in the 19 tasted from 2000 to 2018; most notably 2010 and 2016 but also 2001, 2005 and 2009.

Over the two decades covered, new drainage systems were laid, while rootstocks, grape plantings and cellar facilities were all improved.

D’Issan is not always the Margaux wine that shouts the loudest. Instead, it is complex, nuanced and full of signature floral, blackberry and soft tobacco notes. The wines are concentrated and surprising in their intensity.

And it’s hard to argue with the estate’s staying power, after close to 1,000 years under its belt.

Château d’Issan at a glance

Status: Third growth in the 1855 Classification

Vineyard area: 44 hectares in the Margaux appellation, with 34ha in its clos.

Grape varieties: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot.

People: Eric Pellon is technical director and Olivier Challou is vineyard manager, with Eric Boissenot as consultant.

See Jane Anson’s tasting notes and scores for Château d’Issan wines

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