Chapelle d'Ausone - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Red 2012

Grape

60% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet sauvignon.

Tasting notes

The 2012 Chapelle d’Ausone reveals a dense ruby-purple color and a rich, expansive profile. The nose is aromatic and refined, offering layers of plum, blueberry, and black raspberry, accented by hints of powdered chalk and floral notes.

On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, with remarkable purity and finesse. The texture is silky yet structured, leading into a long, lingering finish that speaks to both the wine’s depth and elegance.

A beautifully composed Saint-Émilion that combines grace and concentration, with the potential to evolve gracefully over the next decade.

Expert Ratings

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93/100.

"One can’t say enough about the amazing job that Alain Vauthier and his daughter have done at this historic property on the decomposed limestone slopes of St.-Emilion. About half of their production goes into the second wine, Chapelle D’Ausone, which gives you an indication of the compulsive perfectionist attitude of the Vauthiers. The 2012 Chapelle D’Ausone has a dense ruby/purple color and is rich, broad and expansive, with notes of plum, blueberry and black raspberry fruit, powdered chalk and flowers. The wine is medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure and long and rich. This is better than many of the vintages of Ausone in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, which says a lot about what Vauthier has achieved. Drink it over the next 20-25 years." Robert M. Parker, Jr, The Wine Advocate

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.