A monumental wine from one of Bordeaux’s most legendary limestone vineyards, Ausone 2019 is the essence of elegance and power. Intensely perfumed with violets, wild berries and sandalwood, it unfolds in layers of pure, velvety fruit, mineral precision and incredible finesse. The palate is seamless and deep, carried by ultra-refined tannins and a long, stony finish that speaks unmistakably of its terroir. Crafted predominantly from old-vine Cabernet Franc, this is a timeless masterpiece built to age for decades—a rare treasure for the serious collector.

James Suckling | JS 100
Published: Jan 16, 2022

Like a bouquet of fresh flowers on the nose, as well as blackberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. Sandalwood as well. Full-bodied with incredibly polished tannins that have the texture of the finest velvet. The palate is very fine, oriented with fabulously pure fruit and minerally and stone undertones at the finish. It’s so classical in nature. Essence of Ausone. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2027.

The Wine Advocate | RP 98+
Published: Apr 07, 2022
Drink: 2029-2065

Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of wild berries, vine smoke, orange rind, exotic spices and violets, framed by a deft application of classy new oak, the 2019 Ausone is full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with beautiful purity of fruit, lively acids and ripe but abundant structuring tannins. Deep, layered and vibrant, it's full of potential and will likely emerge as one of the most long-lived 2019s. This is another magical wine from what many consider to be Saint-Émilion's greatest terroir, and it will demand and richly reward patience.

One of Bordeaux's greatest terroirs, perched on the edge of Saint-Émilion's limestone escarpment, Ausone comprises vineyards on the slopes (of which one, "Le Poirier," situated directly below the château, supplies the core of the assemblage) and on the walled terraces that cling to the top of the plateau. It's a sheltered mesoclimate, planted predominantly with Cabernet Franc, with at most 1.2 meters of clay above the rock. The vineyards are old, and when missing vines have been replaced, the replacements are tagged and harvested separately. In the winery, the fruit ferments in wooden vats with twice-daily délestages (rack-and-return) until alcoholic fermentation begins to subside, at which point the cap is simply moistened until the moment of décuvage and pressing. Maturation follows, in a cool former quarry hewn from the limestone, in entirely new barrels (mainly from Taransaud and Demptos) and lasts for some 20 months. The result is one of the region's most characterful and long-lived wines, endowed with striking intensity, precision and persistence, and the 2019 vintage is another terrific success for Ausone's custodians, the Vauthier family.

Decanter | D 97
Published: Nov 10, 2020
Drink: 2029-2050

The en primeur sample of the 2019 vintage, as I did not taste in the spring. Full of vivacity and austerity, dominated by the Cabernet Franc, showing roundness and depth to the black fruits as they open, with clear bilberry, cassis and blueberry, a ton of gentle charred smoke notes and graphite. Strong opulence and huge tannins. A wine that is going to age for decades.
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.00%
Body: Full
Oak: Oaked
Grapes: 65% Cabernet Franc 35% Merlot

Jancis Robinson | JR 18.5
Published: Jan 17, 2023
Drink: 2029-2050

Tasted blind. Cool and fresh and singular – Cabernet-influenced and really rather subtle and wonderful. Great undertow. Fresh finish. Very beautiful and long. Distinctive.

Chateau-ausone.fr

Château Ausone is the jewel of the estate, a masterpiece of subtle elegance. Like a cathedral, it initially presents a big, powerful, mineral profile of Cabernet Franc.

Then comes the Merlot, round and pure with a chiselled texture. Finesse and freshness linger long on the palate, finishing with exquisite balance.
This is a monumental wine that travels through time, polished by its loving passage.