Château Ausone 2019

The Wine Independent

VertdeVin

The nose is fruity, elegant and offers freshness, a nice grain, an airy side, a lot of delicacy as well as complexity. There are notes of fresh / tangy raspberry, fresh / tangy cassis and more slightly violet associated with touches of crushed strawberries, fine hints of nutmeg, fresh tobacco as well as a discreet hint of saffron, zan and a subtle hint of almost pepper. The palate is fresh, fruity, balanced, nicely elegant, racy and offers delicacy, a nice definition, an acidulous / fresh frame, a nice finesse (and race) of the grains, a nice stretched side as well as power in finesse / precision. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy / pulpy blackberry, tangy / fresh cassis and more slightly pulpy raspberry associated with touches of tangy / fresh purple plum, lily, cornflower as well as hints of fresh blond tobacco, chocolate and a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. Beautiful work on the bitterness at the end of the mouth. Tannins are elegant, racy, powerful and well-rounded. Good length. Presence of a subtle hint of cocoa in the background.

Wine Enthusiast

The wine's power and density shows against its beautifully textured black fruits. With richness and concentration, this is serious, impressive and needing plenty of aging. It is magnificent, not to be drunk before 2027.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of wild berries, vine smoke, orange rind, exotic spices and violets, framed by a deft application of classy new oak, the 2019 Ausone is full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with beautiful purity of fruit, lively acids and ripe but abundant structuring tannins. Deep, layered and vibrant, it's full of potential and will likely emerge as one of the most long-lived 2019s. This is another magical wine from what many consider to be Saint-Émilion's greatest terroir, and it will demand and richly reward patience.

One of Bordeaux's greatest terroirs, perched on the edge of Saint-Émilion's limestone escarpment, Ausone comprises vineyards on the slopes (of which one,

Jeb Dunnuck

A brilliant wine in every way, Alain Vauthier's 2019 Château Ausone reveals a dense purple color as well as an incredible bouquet of ripe black cherries, blueberries, acacia flowers, lead pencil, and classy oak. It shows the elegant style of the vintage yet brings a wealth of fruit, lavish richness, and a great, great finish, all while holding onto beautiful precision and purity. It has some accessibility today (surprising for a young Ausone) but deserves at least 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for well over three decades.

Decanter Magazine

The en primeur sample of the 2019 vintage, as I did not taste in the spring. Full of vivacity and austerity, dominated by the Cabernet Franc, showing roundness and depth to the black fruits as they open, with clear bilberry, cassis and blueberry, a ton of gentle charred smoke notes and graphite. Strong opulence and huge tannins. A wine that is going to age for decades.

James Suckling

Like a bouquet of fresh flowers on the nose, as well as blackberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. Sandalwood as well. Full-bodied with incredibly polished tannins that have the texture of the finest velvet. The palate is very fine, oriented with fabulously pure fruit and minerally and stone undertones at the finish. It’s so classical in nature. Essence of Ausone. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2027.