Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2020

Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2020

Prior to the 2022 vintage, this wine was classed as Premier Grand Cru Classe A.

Critic tasting note: (2020 vintage)

"The captivates your focus with its showy display of flowers, crushed rocks, black, red and blue fruit, espresso and thyme. It takes a bit of coaxing and patience, but there is an incredible level of depth, purity, refinement, and vibrancy at play here on the palate as the wine gently coats your palate with its layers of salt-infused, black and dark red fruits. The deep seamless finish crosses the 60 second mark and keeps on going as it continues showing off its essence of minerals of fresh berries. This could be the longest lived wine of the vintage. Drink from 2030-2075." - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (100/100)

"The wine is powerful and impressively rich. Its perfumed character is intense from 50% Cabernet Franc. With layers of great, velvety tannins and wonderful juicy acidity, the wine is set to age well. Drink from 2028." - Wine Enthusiast (98/100)

"A blend of equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the 2020 Ausone wafts from the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with notions of incense, spices and raw cocoa framed by a creamy patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and seamless, it's pure and concentrated, with a sweet core of fruit, generously extracted tannins and a vanillin-inflected finish. Less seamless and sensual than the lovely 2019, it will require some patience to come together, but there is no mistaking the quality of the terroir here." - Robert Parker The Wine Advocate, Reviewed by: William Kelley (95/100)

"The flowers in the nose are spectacular with violets, lavender, and honeysuckle. Then there’s wet stone and freshly cut limestone. Plus there’s raspberries and blueberries. The palate is full-bodied yet very tight and reserved, with fine tannins that run the length of the wine as well as hints of cedar, sandalwood and vanilla bean. It’s long and very racy and complex. Needs eight to 10 years of bottle age to open and come together. Try after 2032." - James Suckling

Producer Notes

Today, the 11th generation of the Vauthier family watches over this unique terroir of seven hectares on the hillside south of the village of Saint-Émilion. This historic estate, associated with the poet Ausone, dates back to Roman times. Our expert winegrowers pay meticulous attention to each vine, respecting an entire ecosystem. Every precise action from vineyard to cellar contributes to a single ambition: to give the terroir the most authentic expression possible.

Drinking Window

2029 - 2070

Winemaking

Manual harvest with density sorting. Plot-by-plot vinification in small wooden vats. Gentle extraction controlled by gravity-fed rack and-return.

Maturation

Oaked

Vineyard Notes

LOCATION: plateau and hillsides at the southern entrance to the village of Saint-Émilion. NATURE OF SOILS: clay-limestone with asteria.