Château d'Issan

Château d'Issan stands among the oldest wine-producing properties in all of Bordeaux. Wine from the estate was reportedly served at the 1152 wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet, and the property appeared in Thomas Jefferson's personal 1787 Bordeaux selection. Originally known as Château Lamothe Cantenac, it passed to the d'Essenault family in the 17th century, and the name 'd'Issan' is a phonetic rendering of that family name. The estate endured significant decline during the World Wars before the Cruse family took ownership in 1945.

• Wine served at the 1152 wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet
• Originally called Château Lamothe Cantenac before the d'Essenault family acquisition
• Included in Thomas Jefferson's personal 1787 Bordeaux selection
• Cruse family ownership began in 1945; Lorenzetti family acquired a 50% stake in 2012 to 2013

The estate sits at the 45th parallel north in the Margaux appellation, where a temperate maritime climate is moderated by proximity to both the Gironde Estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. Mild winters and warm summers support consistent ripening across the 52 hectares in Margaux. The soils are classic left-bank Médoc: surface gravel sitting atop clay subsoil, with alluvial hills reaching up to 15 meters. These well-drained, heat-retaining gravels are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Located at the 45th parallel north in the Margaux appellation
• Surface gravel topsoil over clay subsoil; alluvial hills up to 15 meters high
• Temperate maritime climate moderated by the Gironde Estuary and Atlantic Ocean
• Additional 5 hectares in Haut-Médoc and 10 hectares in Bordeaux Supérieur

Grapes are vinified separately by parcel in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, allowing the team to assess each block individually before blending. The final wine spends 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels, with 50% new wood, building structure and complexity without obscuring the estate's signature floral delicacy. Emmanuel Cruse took over management in 1998 and oversaw the quality improvements that define the modern era of the estate. The house produces three wines under the Château d'Issan label and recently added a white wine, Jardin d'Issan, beginning with the 2024 vintage.

• Parcels vinified separately in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks
• 16 to 18 months aging in French oak with 50% new wood
• Quality turnaround led by Emmanuel Cruse from 1998 onward
• Three red wines produced: Château d'Issan, Blason d'Issan, and Haut-Médoc d'Issan

Château d'Issan holds the rank of Third Growth in the 1855 Imperial Classification of the Médoc, a system that has remained essentially unchanged since Napoleon III commissioned it for the Paris Universal Exposition. The estate's motto, Regum Mensis Aris que Deorum, translates as 'For the table of kings and altar of the gods,' a phrase that speaks to the ambition and heritage of the property. Its historic moated château with medieval architecture remains one of the most recognizable estates in the Médoc.

• Third Growth (Troisième Grand Cru Classé) in the 1855 Médoc Classification
• Motto: Regum Mensis Aris que Deorum, meaning 'For the table of kings and altar of the gods'
• One of the oldest continuously wine-producing properties in the Médoc
• Historic moated château with medieval architecture is a defining landmark of the appellation