Freaky Friday Case (Red Bordeaux)

Chateau d’Issan Blason d’Issan 2020
94 Points, James Suckling
Dried oranges and plums with bark, mushroom and forest floor aromas that follow through to medium to full body with a dense finish and excellent energy. Spices such as nutmeg and sandalwood. Some chocolate, too. 57% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot.

92 Points, Decanter
Seductive aromatics, good balance running through the palate, this is enjoyable. Petit Verdot for the first time in the blend, from the Pontac-Lynch vines. This has some lovely depth and width through the palate, one of the better second wines. With the addition of new plots and new grapes, they did many more blending sessions than usual, to be sure especially, whether to add the 1% Malbec to the first wine

Chateau d’Issan Margaux 2019
97 Points, James Suckling
This is a very pure expression of Cabernet Sauvignon with blackcurrants, blackberries and tar. Wet earth, too. It’s full-bodied, yet very tight and reserved. Extremely racy, intense finish. This is super precise. Classical.

96 Points, Decanter
A concentrated but graceful feel to this Issan, showcasing why it is one of the powerhouses of Margaux without necessarily flexing its muscles the most obviously. Takes a few moments to unroll on the palate but as it does it expands both forward and outwards, beautifully filling the mid palate with creamy brambly fruits and firm but flexible tannins. This inches open, suggesting it has an extremely long life ahead of it.

95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Pure cassis, graphite, violets, damp earth, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2019 Château D’Issan, a richer, medium to full-bodied, powerful Margaux. It develops a gorgeous sense of minerality with time in the glass, has plenty of mid-palate oomph, integrated oak, and just terrific overall balance. It’s a stunning success in the vintage in Margaux, which was one of the more challenging in the vintage. This will round into form with just 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades or more. Bravo. Best after 2026.