Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2016

Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2016

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

Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2016 is an extraordinary expression of the estate's terroir. Its intense purple color catches the eye, while the nose is greeted with aromas of blackcurrants, blueberries, and a hint of cedar. On the palate, it unfolds layers of ripe fruits, structured tannins, and a touch of minerality. With its impressive depth, seamless integration, and a persistent finish, this vintage showcases the exceptional character of Chateau Ausone.

Critic tasting note: (2016 vintage)

"Currant, cedar, tobacco and dark chocolate aromas. The palate is round and full-bodied, with evenly distributed dark fruit that dissolves into a chocolaty, very refined expression. The quality of the tannins, combined with the sumptuous fruit, gives this wine real presence. Accessible now, but built to age for a long time. Drink or hold. 10 Years On retrospective." - James Suckling

"Deep, dark garnet in color, you are instantly hit with a unique note of flowers and crushed rocks as you first nose the wine. On the palate, it tastes and feels liquefied essences of rocks and perfectly ripe, dark pit fruit and blackberries. The wine has symmetry. Everything is in balance between the fruit, tannins and acidity. The seamless finish, with its non-stop waves of fruit coats your palate in all the right ways. The wine remains with you for over 60 seconds! From a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot, this is one of the wines of the vintage. If you have cash, and the time to wait for maturity, this is a future legend in the making! 100 Points" - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (100/100)

"Beautifully structured, this wine has elegance despite its heft and richness. It has the enticing acidity of the year as well as concentration and generous, spicy, perfumed Cabernet Franc. This is a wine to age and it will not be ready before 2025." - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (99/100)

"The 2016 Ausone is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's quite closed at first glance, slowly unfurling to reveal the most incredible perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, warm black plums, Black Forest cake and roasted nuts with suggestions of charcuterie, wood smoke and cedar chest. The medium to full-bodied palate offers a quiet intensity of flavors that grow in the mouth to unveil layer after layer of black and red berries intertwined with beautiful savory notions framed by firm yet velvety tannins, finishing with epic length and amazing energy. It practically tingles on the palate!" - Robert Parker The Wine Advocate, Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown (99/100)

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

2022-2080

Vineyard Notes

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

Maturation

Oaked

Winemaking

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