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Ausone 2018 300cl

1er Grand Cru Classé A | St. Emilion | Bordeaux | France
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Critics scores
100 Robert Parker
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.
100 Robert Parker
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.
99 James Suckling
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.
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.