Château d'Issan

The inviting wines of Château d’Issan have inspired several notable followers over the years. In the 1700s it achieved acclaim with Henry Powell, sommelier to the then Prince of Wales, and Thomas Jefferson, who listed it among his favourite Bordeaux wines. At the end of the 19th century, Austrian Emperor Franz-Joseph liked it so much he gave the estate the motto that remains engraved over its doors: “regum mensis aris que deorum”, which translates as “for the table of kings and the altar of gods.” Today, the wines remain well-received by critics thanks to the work and investment of joint owners, Emmanuel Cruse and Jacky Lorenzetti. Cruse took over the estate from his grandfather, who bought the estate after the Second World War, while Lorenzetti, a wine lover and investor, joined in 2013. Their commitment to producing quality wines is clear; the winery has been modernised and grapes are hand sorted meticulously so only the best make it into the grand vin. The unusual moated château lies in the middle of Margaux, a stone's throw from the famous Châteaux Margaux and Rauzan-Ségla and equally blessed with similar regulating conditions from its proximity to the Gironde Estuary and easy draining, gravel, clay and limestone mounds.