Wine Critic
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Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2014
Prior to the 2022 vintage, this wine was classed as Premier Grand Cru Classe A.
Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2014 is a wine of exceptional quality. With its deep garnet color, it offers an enchanting bouquet of dark cherries, blackberries, and spices. The palate is treated to a symphony of flavors, where the richness of the fruits intertwines with velvety tannins and well-integrated oak. This vintage showcases impeccable craftsmanship, remarkable complexity, and a long, satisfying finish, making it a true gem from Chateau Ausone.
Critic tasting note: (2014 vintage)
"Beautiful nose of red fruit with a delicate minty note that only make it come across as brighter and more enticing. An extremely elegant and concentrated, mid-weight St.-Emilion with a really impressive tannin structure that gives it lots of drive at the very long and refreshing finish. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP." - James Suckling
"Showing an espresso, earthy minerals, flowers and dark fruit nose, this wine has lush, sensuous tannins and there is a serious sense of purity to the fruit. The long finish is silky, giving you a posh texture in the mouth and finishing with a suave, black cherry and licorice note. Using 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, the wine reached 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.5 and represents 67% of the crop. The yields were only 27 hectoliters per hectare. 96-97 Pts" - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (97/100)
"This grand wine is stylish and elegant. It is also powerful and dense with dark tannins and great concentration. It is a very fine wine, packed with black plum and berry fruits and balanced richness. Don't let the great fruit deceive: this is a wine for the serious long term. Drink from 2028." - Wine Enthusiast (97/100)
"The 2014 Ausone, a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, was matured in barrel for 20 months with 85% new oak. Compared to the Chapelle d'Ausone, this Grand Vin demanded gentle coaxing from the glass. It eventually unfurls to reveal mineral-rich red berry fruit, oregano, orange blossom and later on blackcurrant winegums. It displays superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin. There is an almost sorbet-like freshness conferred upon this Saint Emilion by the growing season, very harmonious and poised with one of the most precise and tensile finishes that you will find this vintage. One of the stars of the vintage, this may merit a higher score with bottle age. This is a great success." - Robert Parker The Wine Advocate, Reviewed by: Neal Martin (95/100)
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
2020-2060
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.
Winemaking
Manual harvest with density sorting. Plot-by-plot vinification in small wooden vats. Gentle extraction controlled by gravity-fed rack and-return.
