Château Ausone

Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A

2018 Chateau Ausone

MAR 19 60CF 40M. Ruby. Floral, violets, roses, lilies, blueberries, anise, blackberries, touch of raspberries, minerals, so refined and pure on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, anise, spices, layered, nuanced, refreshing, playful, intense, minerals, just goes on, and on, and on, and on. Incredible length. 99-100

2018 Chapelle d'Ausone

MAR 19 50M 40CF 10CS. Ruby. Scented, red berries, blueberries, floral notes, some spices, elegant. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively, fresh and playful, detailed, nuanced, refreshing, almost mouthwatering, long. 92-94

2017 Chateau Ausone

APR 18 Ruby. Scented, blueberries, some spices, anise, floral, nuanced, detailed, minerals. Blackberries nose, lovely. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, juicy, some spices, elegant, detailed, long. 95-97

2017 Chapelle d'Ausone

APR 18 Ruby. Blueberries, scented, red berries, anise, lighter nose, elegant. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, red berries, anise, juicy, lovely balance, long. 89-91

2016 Chateau Ausone

APR 17 50CF 50M Ruby. 25000 bottles made. Deeper nose, blackberries, fruity, some spices, violets, tight, scented behind, blueberries, almost flirting yet restrained. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, structured, refined texture, fresh red berries, darker fruits, spices, detailed and elegant, beautiful balance, long. 96-98

2016 Chapelle d'Ausone

APR 17 56CF 22M 22CS 6000 bottles made. Ruby. Scented, blueberries, violets, blackberries nose, detailed and nuanced. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, anise and soices, blackberries, elegant. 91-93

2015 Château Ausone

JUN 18 Ruby. Scented, dark fruity, blueberries, minerals, nuanced, layered, superb nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, spices, layered, playful, superb texture, intense and long. Superb. Stunning length. 100

2015 Château Ausone

APR 16 Ruby. Dark berries, red fruits, minerals, delicate yet quite full and intense, mint and chocolate touch, slight floral element. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, juicy, dark berries before structure sets in, some minerals, nuanced, detailed, playful yet rounded, properly long finish. 96-98

2015 Chapelle d'Ausone

APR 16 Ruby. Dark fruits, some spices, nuanced, some vanilla and spices, touch of coffee. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, fresh, ripe, intense, detailed, layered, minerals, red and darker fruits, long. 92-94

2014 Château Ausone
APR 15 Ruby. Scented, violets, blueberries, detailed nose, some spices behind, light mineral note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, lively, detailed, nuanced, elegant, long and almost playful. 95-97

2014 Chapelle d'Ausone
APR 15 Ruby. Scented, fruity, plums and violets, detailed nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, leaner finish, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Ausone
APR 14 9000 bottles made. Ruby. Red berries, vanilla, scented, elegant nose, some darker notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, Burgundian texture, on the leaner side, long, charming and red fruity. 90-92

2013 La Chapelle d'Ausone
APR 14 Ruby. Leaner nose, red fruity, vanilla and herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded texture if leaner, slight nettles touch. 85-87

2012 Château Ausone

APR 13 Deep ruby. Fruity, nuanced, some coffee and a touch of herbs on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant, seductive, layered and refined. Long. 93-95

2012 Chapelle d'Ausone

APR 13 Deep ruby. Fruity, scented, floral and a slight herbal note on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, playful, elegant and lovely. 88-90

2010 Château Ausone

APR 11 Ruby, floral, pure, refined and layered as few, difficult to grasp all the nuances, incredible freshness, superb acidity, ripe tannins, gorgeous texture and balance, a wine for meditation. 94-96

This will be really special for those very few that can both afford it and understand it fully! I hope I will be lucky enough to taste it again someday.

2010 Chapelle d'Ausone

APR 11 Ruby, refined minerals, red berries, fresh, elegant, all about texture here as well, superbly balanced, good length. 91-92

2008 Château Ausone

JUN 18 Ruby. Blueberries, scented, layered, minerals, detailed, nuanced, floral, stunning nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, spices, layered, detailed, minerals, nuanced, juicy, stunning. 97

2005 Château Ausone

JUN 18 Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, minerals, detailed, scented, nuanced, floral, layered, intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, layered, nuanced, minerals, playful, detailed, intense, superb balance, elegant and long. Incredible length. 100

2004 Château Ausone

AUG 11 Bright ruby, stunning nose, complex, nuanced and layered- Superb balance, refreshing and elegant with playful acidity, ripe tannins, superbly balanced, very long finish. Such elegance. 96

1998 Château Ausone
NOV 11 Ruby, floral and enormous purity, intense, layered and seductive. Gorgeous texture, acidity towards high, playful, ripe tannins, mouthwatering, nervy, impossible to describe, enormous complexity. Velvet. 96

1996 Château Ausone
SEP 14 Deepish ruby, garnet rim. Scented, dark fruits, cassis, leather, intense, blueberries, light minerals note, detailed, needs masses of air to open. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, quite tannic but ripe tannins, fruity, cassis, layered, quite intense, long. 95

1995 Château Ausone

MAR 19 Ruby, garnet rim. Scented, deeper, blueberries, layered, floral, superb nose, some exotic notes, layered, almost leaps out of the glass, but in a gentleman's manner. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, juicy, structured, layered, deep, rich, intense, nuanced, long. Superb balance, long. 97

1990 Château Ausone
SEP 12 Unfortunately badly corked.

1988 Chateau Ausone
DEC 09 Deep ruby with garnet rim, a bit closed, then some prunes and sweet red plums, then minerals and blueberries, and later even cigars and leather. Tannins a bit harsh, acidity could be higher, a bit plump actually, and could be longer. Still a very good wine. 88

1985 Château Ausone

SEP 14 Ruby, garnet rim. Dark fruits, plums, blueberries, light violets note, red berries and leather. Fresh acidity, lovely tannins, elegant palate and texture, long, layered and fresh, not the most complex. 92

1985 Château Ausone
MAY 12 Garnet, blueberries, leather and some figs. Leaner style and more withdrawn style of St-Emilion, almost tender, some herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, more for meditation than competition. 92

1985 Château Ausone
JUL 10 A level fill. Bright ruby, garnet rim. Youthful nose, black- and blueberries, some vanilla, cigars, touch of herbs and spices, very clean and pure, good acidity, ripe and maturing tannins, very elegant, but could be, and really should be more complex, more intense and have longer finish. A very good wine, but not an impressive Ausone. 90

1983 Château Ausone

AUG 18 Ruby, garnet rim. Blueberries, spices, fruity, scented, nuanced nose, lifted, some minerals. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, some spices, anise, leaner minty and chocolate and quite woody mid palate. Long. 91

1981 Château Ausone
Ruby, thin brick rim. A level fill, splendid cork. Very little on the nose, maybe a faint touch of brett, some cassis, getting somewhat more sexy with air, coffee and chocolate, ripe plums. Good acidity, tannins more or less gone, easy going, a bit simple even if better with air. 83

1980 Château Ausone
MAY 10 (demi) Bright ruby core, towards brown rim. A level fill! and almost soaked cork. Roses and violets, perfume, earthy, cigars, some plums and blueberries hanging on, wet autumn leaves. Ok acidity, tannins almost gone, starting to dry up, impressive considering demi bottle and vintage. 86

1978 Château Ausone
Ruby, garnet rim. Cooked and dried, lacks fruit. Dead on the palate, this seems to have been stored poorly. 

1975 Château Ausone
SEP 12 Top shoulder fill. Bright ruby, brick rim. Cherry stones, leather and figs. Leather and tobacco beneath. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant body, surprisingly easy-going for the vintage. Broadbent in 1995: 'dried leaves simile- nose and taste, quite good length but tannic'. This one had more fruit than that and the tannins was polished into it, even if still there. 91

1964 Château Ausone

OCT 07 Very top shoulder fill, soaked cork. Amazing nose, minerals, blueberries lingers on, prunes, some exotic spices, cigars, detailed and layered, some floral notes with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins soon gone, elegant texture, detailed and lively, mouthwatering, playful, superb balance, refined, long indeed. Stunning wine. 97

1961 Château Ausone
SEP 12 Late château release 2007, fill one centimeter below cork, recorked in 2007 on release. Bright ruby, so pure, so young. Pure blueberries, Christmas spices, leather, you can forget yourself in this nose. Perfect palate, fresh acidity, ripe tannins, superb fruit, intensity is just perfection, meaning not too much, but enough to cover everything in silk and velvet. The balance is beyond, fantastic wine and absolutely amazing length. This is perfection. 100

1958 Chateau Ausone
JAN 10 Bright ruby, orange rim. A/B level fill, cork soaked, but came out intact. Starts out metallic, after five minutes, some artificial blueberries, then some floral notes and tulips, increasingly floral notes, some roses. Medium acidity, very ripe tannins, more structure than flavours, fresh mouthfeel, perfect balance, it somehow manage to last very well without having flavours, a ghost of a wine. 83

1955 Château Ausone
SEP 12 Mid-shoulder fill, estate bottled. Bright ruby, brick rim. Coffee, heavy, rich, spicy and chocolaty nose with figs, prunes and licorice beneath. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fatter body and not quite as charming, but who am I to complain? Still a great wine, balanced and fairly elegant, long. Broadbent has no notes on this. 93

1953 Château Ausone

MAY 08 Dusty and dirty bottle, top shoulder fill, might have had some seepage, foil corroded. Cork came out in peaces. Leaner figgy and earthy nose, some minerals, some iodine. More charming palate than nose, some figs and earthy prunes, bit sweet what is left of the fruit. Came in a mixed lot at auction. 87

1945 Chateau Ausone

JAN 10 Expedie en Barrique par Eschenauer & Co, Bordeaux. Fill B-B/C, cork soaked and very wet when pulled. Deep ruby, brick rim, orange hue. Almost leaps out of the glass, fine leather, cedar, cigars, prunes, lacquer, cherries, leafy and some blackcurrants, chocolate. Fresh acidity, sweet and sour, great balance, a bit lean body, elegant in its transparent way, some dry tannins still, quite shorter finish than the other two bottles I have tasted, falling a bit together after 25 minutes, then then minutes later somehow recovers and gets even more intense, this is my first for that, getting some darker fruits, plums and blackberries, after two hours very floral and roses, then last sip after about four hours, very pruny and blackberries, longer finish. 93

1945 Chateau Ausone
JAN 10 Expedie en barrique par Eschenauer & Co, Bordeaux. Deep ruby, brick rim, cork soaked and splitt in two, B-level fill. Mature, much prunes first, some meat and blood, minerals and some iodine, then hints of coffee and chocolate, then blackberries, hints of tobacco, hay and liquorice, subtle yet complex, needed some minutes in the glass. Fresh acidity, tannins gone, a bit lean, slightly rustic on the mid palate, acidity starts out fresh, then goes slightly metallic, then prunes and plum stones, changing all the time, Aromas flushes back and forth and changes like Aurora Borealis (northern light), now earthy and leafy, ads and ads while other aromas disappear, black tea, then leather, then sour cherries, good balance, complex yet fragile and tender, transparent and layered, quite velvety texture after 45 minutes, never gives in, lasts for minutes. 95

1945 Chateau Ausone
OCT 09 Expedite en Barrique, Bordeaux by Eschenauer & Co. Fill top shoulders (B), cork soaked and shattered to pieces while opening the bottle. Ruby colour, thin brick rim. Mature nose, some truffles, cedar, leather, liquorice, wood polish and mahogany, more and more intense with air, develops into an almost massively intense nose of black tea, blackcurrants leather and cedar. Complex yet fragile. Great acidity, some tannins still, and ripe ones, unbelievable fruit, cherry stones, mature and still youthful freshness, great balance, complexity and elegance, fantastic long finish with fresh berries, lasts for minutes in its own careful way. Mind-blowing wine in its brilliant combination of power, finesse and transparency. 96

1928 Château Ausone
SEP 12 Estate bottled. (served blind) Top shoulder fill (told afterwards). Garnet with orange rim. Redcurrant's, leather, figs, light but very complex nose, Burgundian feel, but more complex than most Burgundies. Floral high-notes, fresh tobacco and cigars. Almost cedary, ads and ads with air. Fresh acidity, tannins gone, leanish body, more fruit and flavour intensity. Mouthwatering, body ads as well with air. Not the longest. Broadbent: 'By the early eighties it had lost a good deal of colour yet, despite of fungi on the nose, was fairly harmonious..... (In 1998) ....on the palate surprisingly full and rich with good length and acidity. Not my favorite '28, but, at best ***'. 95