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Tasting notes
Ausone is a wonderfully complete wine in 2023. There’s an aromatic arc on the nose with notes of pencil lead, oak spice and vanilla, building to a rush of concentrated black fruit that spreads across the palate, followed by notes of tobacco and wet stones. Just like the 2022, there’s great power and intensity that will need time to open up. The finish is elegant and fresh, brought by the higher proportion of Cabernet Franc in the blend. Blend: 60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
As to the Grand Vin, cassis, candied violet, orange blossom, and a beautiful sense of minerality all emerge from the 2023 Château Ausone, a deep purple-hued beauty that's a classic 60/40 split of Cabernet Franc and Merlot aged 20 months in new barrels. It's medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, classy, perfectly integrated oak, and a great finish. It picks up this flinty, smoky minerality as it sits in the glass, and it has a liquid rock-like character that’s hard to describe. It's going to be pleasurable with just 4-6 years of bottle age but not hit maturity for a decade and will evolve gracefully over the following 20-30 years. Drink 2034-2063.
The 2023 Ausone is a somber, mysterious wine. Black cherry, pomegranate, lavender, menthol, licorice, sage and pipe tobacco open gradually. The 2023 is a wine of reserve today, as it so often is at this stage a few months after bottling. That should not be an issue in a few years. Readers should not be contemplating opening a bottle anytime soon. Deeply pitched floral, savory and mineral notes appear with a bit of time in the glass, but the 2023 is a wine that requires time. The only question is how much.
The 2023 Ausone is a somber, mysterious wine. Black cherry, pomegranate, lavender, menthol, licorice, sage and pipe tobacco open gradually. The 2023 is a wine of reserve today, as it so often is at this stage a few months after bottling. That should not be an issue in a few years. Readers should not be contemplating opening a bottle anytime soon. Deeply pitched floral, savory and mineral notes appear with a bit of time in the glass, but the 2023 is a wine that requires time. The only question is how much.
About the producer
Ch. Ausone is one of Bordeaux’s most respected estates. At this small property, perched atop a hill overlooking the town of Saint-Emilion, the Vauthier family produces some of the finest wines in the region.