Château Ausone
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Château Ausone
Order Château Ausone »
Top Vintages Produced: |
1874, 1929, 1976, 1983, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2003,
2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
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Classification: |
Château Ausone – Premier Grand Cru Classé “A”
Chapelle d’Ausone – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
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Varieties: |
Cabernet Franc (55%), Merlot (45%).
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Wines Produced: |
Château Ausone – First Wine:
Cabernet Franc (55%), Merlot (45%)
Chapelle d’Ausone – Second Wine: Merlot (70%), Cabernet Franc (30%)
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Reserve your 2010 Château Ausone En Primeur »
History
Château Ausone, close to the village of Saint-Émilion, is an estate steeped in prestige.
Its rich viticultural history dates back nearly two millennia to Roman times when the poet
Ausonius was said to have lived at ‘La Villa du Palet’, a Gallo-Roman villa whose archeological
remains can be still be found on the property. In recent centuries, the ownership of Ausone has
rested with only three families.
Today, the Château’s owner, Alain Vauthier oversees every
aspect of production, ensuring a remarkable consistency in quality that has recently
produced two 100 point wines, in 2003 and 2005.
(read more)
Viticulture and Vinification
The wines of Château Ausone are highly sought-after and for good reason. With a total of
only seven hectares of low-yielding vineyards, precariously perched on Saint-Émilion’s
limestone plateau, demand is understandably high. The vines benefit greatly from porous
and free draining limestone soils which suitably stress the vines and give the wines a
distinctive minerality. During harvest, the picking of the grapes takes place in successive
‘tries’, or passes, through the vineyard. This ensures that only the ripest grapes are
picked and results in concentrated fruit flavours, which make unique and memorable wines.
The wines are matured for up to twenty-four months in Ausone’s natural caves.
The cellars are carved out of the same limestone bedrock which the vineyards
sit on. This ageing process is considered vital to the evolution of the wines’
complexity. By using new French oak barriques, smoke and vanilla notes are fully
integrated into the wines and further tannic structures develop. In a great vintage,
these changes allow the wines to improve for fifty years or more after bottling.
Classification
- Château Ausone – Premier Grand Cru Classé “A”
- Chapelle d’Ausone – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Varieties
In the minute vineyards, only two grape varieties
are cultivated - Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Cabernet Franc claims the majority at 55% of the
plantings.
Wines Produced
In each vintage the blends differ slightly However, the
general make-up is as follows:
- Château Ausone – First Wine:
Cabernet Franc tends to be dominant in this blend
at approximately 55%.
- Chapelle d’Ausone – Second Wine: Merlot is more
prominent in this cuvée at around 70% of the
blend.
Order top vintages of Château Ausone
- Château Ausone 2008: (96-100 RP)
"Once again, Alain Vauthier has produced a wine
that flirts with perfection." – Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
- Château Ausone 2005: (100 RP)
"A masterpiece of concentration and balance, it
will no doubt be drinking well a century from
now." – Robert Parker,
The Wine Advocate
- Château Ausone 2003: (100 RP)
"The 2003 Ausone is off the charts in terms of
richness. This exquisite offering must be tasted
to be believed." – Robert Parker,
The Wine Advocate
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Not seeing the specific wine or vintage you’re looking for?
The wines displayed here only represent a small portion of our total inventory.
To check our complete stockholdings, please contact
us via email or call us on +44 (0) 20 3219 5588.
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