Chateau Ausone 2023

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, the 2023 Ausone has a pH of 3.63 and a deep garnet-purple color. It is very mute and reticent to show its personality to start, needing a lot of shaking and pleading to coax out a series of intense scents: fresh blackberries, violets, licorice, pencil shavings, and tar, leading to an undercurrent of Sichuan pepper and fertile loam. The medium-bodied palate has wonderful tension and is incredibly taut and tight-knit, offering glimpses at layers of mineral and floral accented fresh blackberry flavors. It is textured by incredibly ripe, fine-grained tannins, delivering a very long finish, laced with mineral sparkles."

JAMES SUCKLING: "I don't think I have tasted an Ausone like this. The purity of fruit and fluidity is so primary, like perfectly picked grapes with their juice. Then there is citrus freshness. It's muscular, with toned tannins that caress the palate and give a seamless finish. This really could push the boundaries for the character of Ausone, in the way of finesse with structure. Watch it. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot."

WEINWISSER: "60 % Cabernet Franc, 40 % Merlot, Lese des Merlot vom 14.-19. September, Lese Cabernet Franc 28. und 30. Oktober. Sehr tiefgründiges komplexes Bouquet, Wildkirsche, Graphit und Veilchen. Im zweiten Ansatz Blutorangenzesten und rote Johannisbeeren. Am vielschichtigen Gaumen mit ungeheurer Präzision, seidiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanninkorsett, vibrierender Rasse und perfekt geformtem Körper. Im katapultartigen, nicht enden wollenden Finale zeigt der St.-Émilion seine ganze Klasse und versprüht ein Parfüm nach roten Beeren, tiefschürfender Mineralik und erhabener Adstringenz."

VINUM: "Zeugt noch vom Ausbau, offenbart eine grosse Komplexität, viel Tiefe, klar und rein; rote und dunkle Beeren, florale Noten, Rosenblüten, kalkige Untertöne; elegant, saftig und gefühlt federleicht, doch der Wein hat Kraft, hochwertiges Tannin, grosse Harmonie, exzellente Länge. Frischer im Charakter als im Vorjahr."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Dark garnet in color, the wine is intensely floral, with lilacs, violets, roses, licorice, espresso, black raspberries, black cherries, and red currants. As good as the nose is, the palate is even better. The wine is rich, intense, and most importantly, elegant. There is a majestic sense of lift, purity, and refinement that is complimented by the strong touch its oceanic influence felt on its layers of dark red, black, and blue fruits, espresso, and spice. The seamless finish lingers long after the wine has left the glass. The key to the vintage here is the late, and light September rains that refreshed the Cabernet Franc just before harvesting. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Franc with 40% Merlot.14.2% ABV, 3.63 pH. Harvesting took place September 14-19 for the Merlot ,and September 25-30 for the Cabernet Franc. 2,000 cases were produced. Drink from 2030-2065."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2023 Ausone reveals an incipient bouquet of violet, smoke, dark wild berries, spices and cherries, all beautifully interwoven with creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with a rich chassis of tannin, it has a vibrant core of fruit and a long, mineral, vanillin-inflected finish. At 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, this ranks alongside the 2014 vintage as one of the most Cabernet-dominant Ausone vintages of recent years, and it will mature for 20 months in new oak barrels."

DECANTER: "Really ripe and fragrant black fruit, but fresh too, an element of graphite and liquorice and lots of florality. Really expressive and open. Clean, clear and juicy with a clean, direct, mineral backbone that sustains to a long finish. Missing some star power and a bit more heft, but it’s well defined, finessed and pure. Somewhat subdued, not over trying, very elegant with lovely wet stone elements around the sides and lots of menthol, liquorice, clove and blueberry freshness. Already approachable - this will be delicate and easy to drink. A little tense still but it has a long length. 3.63pH. 39hl/ha yield. Vineyard is organic certified."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Würzig, rote Waldbeeren, frische Preiselbeeren, ein Hauch von Kräutern und Brombeeren, zarte florale Nuancen. Saftig, reife rote Kirschen, balanciert, feine, reife Tannine, frischer Säurebogen, salzig-mineralisch im Nachhall, wirkt leichtfüßig, ein finessenreicher Begleiter bei Tisch."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Cool and refined but very embryonic. Floral notes with a vanilla edge, the oak not yet fully integrated. Pitch-perfect ripeness, the fruit succulent, the tannins all but hidden. Plenty of freshness, length and drive. Drink 2032 – 2050"