Wine Critic
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Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru A Classe 2018
Prior to the 2022 vintage, this wine was classed as Premier Grand Cru Classe A.
Critic tasting note: (2018 vintage)
"The 2018 Ausone is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, rather predictably, the nose is almost completely shut-down on first sniff, taking considerable aeration to begin to reveal its jaw-dropping perfume of ripe black cherries, wild blueberries and plum preserves, leading to suggestions of candied violets, molten chocolate, licorice and crushed rocks with subtle cedar and pencil lead hints. The medium to full-bodied palate (14.5% alcohol) is so tightly wound and nuanced at this stage, it requires a lot of focus unravel all that is going on here. In short: a lot. The ripe, rich, black and blue fruit layers eventually give way to the beautifully cerebral earthy/minerally subtext, carried by fantastically well-knit tension, delivering an incredibly long, foundation-shaking finish. If the earth doesn't move when you drink this, you're probably not doing it right." - Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker The Wine Advocate (100/100)
"With a depth of flavor that feels like they managed to pack a magnum into a single bottle, this wine is all about its intensity and incredible sense of minerality and purity. Rich, fabulously concentrated and deep, the seamless finish which surpasses 60 seconds is loaded velvet drenched black, blue and red fruit, spice, smoke, earth, licorice, crushed rocks, stones and oyster shells. The cashmere tannins, and vibrancy is awe inspiring. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot , 14.5% ABV. If you have the money, there are few wines at this level of quality produced from any vineyard in the world. 100 Points" - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (100/100)
"The perfumes of this wine just pour from the glass. They measure up to the promise of the black tannins and dark, dense fruits, the monumental structure and juicy black-plum flavors. The whole ethos of this wine is towards long-term aging to great power and intensity for the future. Drink from 2028." - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (98/100)
"Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, iodine and dried shitake mushroom. Opens and changes to violets and lavender. Full-bodied and tight with creamy and refined tannins that run the length of the wine and takes you down into the depth of the wine. Needs years to open yet it’s already so gorgeous to taste. Try after 2027." - James Suckling
"Tasted blind. Very deep crimson. Savoury and quite intriguing on the nose. Transparent and already 21st-century style! Very dry end. Just a bit too dry perhaps?" - Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com
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
2022-2068
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.
Vineyard Notes
LOCATION: plateau and hillsides at the southern entrance to the village of Saint-Émilion. NATURE OF SOILS: clay-limestone with asteria.
Ageing
20 month
