Close
Search
Filters
Critics scores
19 Rene Gabriel
96 Wine Spectator
Flower and berry character, with hints of clove and black pepper. Full-bodied and very rich, with decadent flavors. Oozes with ripe fruit. Goes on and on. Fabulous.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. ?JS
96 Wine Spectator
Flower and berry character, with hints of clove and black pepper. Full-bodied and very rich, with decadent flavors. Oozes with ripe fruit. Goes on and on. Fabulous.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. ?JS
93 Robert Parker
1995 will be remembered as an historic vintage for Ausone. It is the first year where, after more than a decade of infighting among the owners, Alain Vauthier emerged as the sole proprietor, and thus had complete control of the wine's viticulture, vinification, and up-bringing. Ausone's extraordinary minerality is present in the 1995, yet there are more aromatics, a richer, more multidimensional palate impression, and a fuller texture - all with the terroir brilliantly expressed. The wine boasts a dense ruby/purple color, and an emerging but tightly-knit nose of spring flowers, minerals, earth, and black fruits. Rich, with an opulent texture, and surprising sexiness for a young vintage of Ausone, the medium-bodied 1995 displays exquisite balance between its acid, tannin, alcohol, and fruit. Although it is not yet seamless, all the elements are present for an extraordinary evolution in the bottle. Given its backward style, this wine will require 5-7 years of cellaring, and will age at a glacial pace for 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2045.
93 Robert Parker
1995 will be remembered as an historic vintage for Ausone. It is the first year where, after more than a decade of infighting among the owners, Alain Vauthier emerged as the sole proprietor, and thus had complete control of the wine's viticulture, vinification, and up-bringing. Ausone's extraordinary minerality is present in the 1995, yet there are more aromatics, a richer, more multidimensional palate impression, and a fuller texture - all with the terroir brilliantly expressed. The wine boasts a dense ruby/purple color, and an emerging but tightly-knit nose of spring flowers, minerals, earth, and black fruits. Rich, with an opulent texture, and surprising sexiness for a young vintage of Ausone, the medium-bodied 1995 displays exquisite balance between its acid, tannin, alcohol, and fruit. Although it is not yet seamless, all the elements are present for an extraordinary evolution in the bottle. Given its backward style, this wine will require 5-7 years of cellaring, and will age at a glacial pace for 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2045.
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.