Tasting Notes
Colour: Red Burgundy colour
Aroma: Violets, spring flowers, blue and black fruits, forest floor and hints of mineral and wet rocks.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a fleshy entry, the acidity noticeable. The finish has a citrus freshness, not as complex but shows admirable persistency.
Grape Varieties: 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot
Only 9,000 bottles of the 2013 Ausone were produced, as crop size was 50% of normal. However, proprietor Alain Vauthier and his daughter certainly have proven a truly great wine can be produced in some of the most trying conditions Bordeaux wine producers have had to deal with over the last 20 years. The result – incredibly dense, attractive wine with sweet tannin, stunning concentration and texture, medium body and a depth that is essentially unreal in a vintage such as this. The wine is a superb example of great winemaking under the most difficult circumstances. Unlike more recent Ausones, this should be reasonably drinkable in 5-6 years and yet be capable of lasting 25.
History of Chateau Ausone
Chateau Ausone is named after the Roman poet Ausonius who owned over 100 acres of vineyard around Saint Emilion. It is perched on the hillside in the southern outskirts of the village of Saint Emilion. The Ausone estate is anchored to the side of the hill in a place called Roc Blancan, literally “white rock”. The rock is a lot more than just a backdrop for the vines; it provides an essential limestone medium in which they bury their roots. And further below, the barrels of wine patiently wait in the underground quarries that were converted into cellars in the eighteenth century. In the peace and silence, the humidity and stable temperatures combine to create ideal conditions for ageing. Time, as if slowed by the weight of the stone, lovingly crafts each vintage.