Château d’Issan: The Cruse Family
It was not until 1914 that the estate changed hands again, the buyer this time a gentleman named Grange, who also owned nearby Château Giscours. Having survived the dual onslaughts of phylloxera and mildew during the latter years of the 19th century, and in spite of the work of Gustave Roy, both the quantity and quality of the wines deteriorated under the tenure of Grange, no doubt compounded by the ensuing economic depression and war.
During World War II the château was occupied by German troops, as were many of the grand buildings of Bordeaux, and by the time peace arrived it was in a sorry state, as were the vineyards. Their saviour was Emmanuel Henri Georges Cruse (1892 – 1968), a scion of the famous Cruse family, perhaps one of the better known of all the Bordeaux dynasties, who purchased the property in 1945. With only 2 hectares of the estate still committed to vines, there was much work to be done. The vineyards required replanting and the dilapidated cellars demanded new equipment, all work which was duly undertaken; it was some time, however, before the château received its long-overdue restoration.
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