Blason d'Issan Margaux 2020

Country: France
Region: Bordeaux

"Blason d'Issan Margaux" is the second wine of the historic Château d'Issan, a Third Grand Cru Classé renowned for its royal heritage. It is said that the wine of this estate was served at the wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Henry II. The Blason is crafted from the estate's younger vines (around 20 years old) to offer a more immediate, accessible expression of the Margaux terroir. The 2020 vintage completes a magnificent trilogy (2018, 2019, 2020) for Bordeaux; it was a warm, solar year that produced wines of incredible density and fruit concentration, yet the specific micro-climate of Issan, close to the Gironde estuary, preserved the crucial freshness.

Terroir: Located in the heart of the Margaux appellation, the vines grow on ridges of gravel and alluvial soils. The roots of the younger vines used for this cuvée sit in clay-limestone and gravel, favoring fruitiness and suppleness over massive structure.

Style: A voluptuous and approachable interpretation of Margaux that balances the structural elegance and floral finesse of Cabernet Sauvignon with the fleshy, round texture and abundant fruit provided by a dominant proportion of Merlot and Petit Verdot.

Vinification: Plot-by-plot vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for approximately 14 to 16 months in French oak barrels, allowing for a gentle integration of wood that complements the fruit rather than overpowering it.