2004 Chateau Ausone St Emilion
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Tasting notes
The 2004 Ausone has a mature bouquet with brambly red fruit, marmalade, leather and touches of cooked meat. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a little dry and more savory than expected. I feel there is something a little passé about this Ausone, indicative of the time when wines were being pushed a little hard and frankly, I much prefer more recent vintages (including the 2023 tasted alongside).
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
A candidate for the longest lived wine of the vintage, the powerful, rich, deep wine is youthful, complex and full bodied. Air and coaxing were needed to find the floral, licorice, stone, black fruit, earth, smoke and spicy character. This needs at least another decade before it’s ready to drink.
Deep garnet. Showing the more meaty character of developing Merlot. Meaty but sweet fruited and still with the shadow of dark fruit. Just a hint of cedary freshness on the nose. Very firm, chewy tannins, still quite a way to go for the tannins to become less thick and constraining. There's a kick of freshness at the end with everything in place for a good life ahead.
Deep garnet. Showing the more meaty character of developing Merlot. Meaty but sweet fruited and still with the shadow of dark fruit. Just a hint of cedary freshness on the nose. Very firm, chewy tannins, still quite a way to go for the tannins to become less thick and constraining. There's a kick of freshness at the end with everything in place for a good life ahead. (JH)