Chateau Ausone - Saint Emilion Grand Cru Red 2012

Grape

55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot.

Tasting notes

"Tasted blind at the 2012 Southwold tasting, the 2012 Ausone took more time to settle in the glass than its peers, eventually deciding upon briary, violet and cassis scents—very floral and Margaux-like in style, not powerful but insistent. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a crisp line of acidity, blackcurrant pastille mixed with cedar and a dash of spice, the wine finally revving up towards an intense and persistent finish that almost stains the mouth with its opulence. It is a gorgeous Saint Emilion from Pauline and Alain Vauthier. Tasted January 2016." Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate

Expert Rating

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96/100.

More About The Winery

Named after the Roman poet Ausonius, who once owned vineyards around Saint-Émilion, Château Ausone is one of Bordeaux’s most iconic estates. Perched dramatically on the limestone slopes just outside the village, Ausone’s 7.3 hectares of vines benefit from a steep, south-east exposure that shelters them from harsh winds and rain.

The vineyard is evenly planted to 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, with vines at the top rooted in the limestone plateau, while those lower down thrive in clay and loam soils. This unique terroir yields wines of extraordinary depth, minerality, and ageing potential.

After struggling in the mid-20th century, Ausone reclaimed its legendary status from the late 1970s under Pascal Delbeck and, more recently, with Michel Rolland as consultant. Today, Château Ausone produces ultra-rich, powerful, and exotically perfumed wines, considered among the very best of Bordeaux. Revered for their longevity, these wines demand at least 10 years of cellaring and reward patience with unrivalled complexity and finesse.