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92 Robert Parker
Considerable amber at the edge is evident in this dark garnet-colored wine. With a big nose of sweet maple syrup intermixed with foresty notes, plum, fig, and currants, it is sweeter and riper than its more famous sibling, the 1975. In the mouth, the wine shows some hard edges and angularity, which is so typical of Ausone, but there is a lot of character and a concentrated, medium-bodied mid-palate. The finish is paradoxically both sweet and sour, with ripeness and glycerin, but at the same time, high tannin. Seemingly at a plateau of maturity, this wine could easily hang at this level for decades. Anticipated maturity: Now-2020. Last tasted, 1/02.
Producer
Château Ausone
Château Ausone has produced wine for close to four centuries in commemoration of the Roman poet, Decimius Magnus Ausonius, who once owned over 40-hectares of vines in Saint-Émilion. A great Right Bank producer, Ausone is one of the only four estates, along with Cheval Blanc, Angélus, and Pavie to be classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé A-grade property in the appellation. Today, following in direct lineage of 17th century owners the Dubois-Challon-Vauthier family, Alain Vauthier and his daughter Pauline own and manage the estate. Located just outside of the Saint-Émilion village, Ausone owns what is rumored to be the best terroir in Bordeaux, a steep 7-hectare plot perched on a hillside. From 1993 to 2013, famed enologist Michel Rolland worked with the family offering invaluable input on the winemaking approach. These important founding years helped even more to propel this already impressive château to the top ranking producers from around the globe. Ausone is known by its inimitable mineralistic style which is culminated by the massive limestone deposits in the soil. The wines are overall rich, complex, and increasingly oaked.