2012 Château d'Issan
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Tasting notes
The 2012 d'Issan is a Margaux that I have rated highly in the past, though this bottle inexplicably showed more oak on the nose that obscured the terroir expression. The palate is very smooth on the entry with succulent tannins, fine weight, again, a little too much emphasis on the oak, although there is freshness on the finish. Perhaps it just did not show on the day, and therefore I will not score based on this example. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Some complexity on the mature nose. Strong cassis flavour. Still vigorous with lots of development still to come. Just a bit too tannic for the fruit. (JR)
The 2012 d'Issan has a very perfumed and expressive bouquet with ebullient blackberry, iodine and cedar scents, very focused and classy with seamlessly integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, perfect acidity, compact at the moment but brimming over with mineralité and tension. This seems to have blossomed in bottle after a patchy showing in barrel and now it comes highly recommended. Tasted at the d’Issan vertical held at the property. (NM)