Château Ausone Saint-Emilion AOP

Château Ausone zählt zu den großen Namen in Saint-Émilion - geht dort aber traditionell eigene Wege. Der würzige Cabernet Sauvignon prägt den Stil des Grand Vin mehr als der Platzhirsch Merlot und verleiht ihm seine viel gerühmte Kraft und Intensität. Seit 2022 wird auf die Kennzeichnung als Grand Cru Classé A verzichtet, weil man die Relevanz der Bewertungskriterien bezweifelt. Man kann es sich leisten. PRESSE 98-99 Punkte 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. 95-97 Punkte Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (William Kelley) 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. 96 Punkte Falstaff (Peter Moser) 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. 96-98 Punkte Vinous (Neal Martin) The 2023 Ausone was picked September 14 to 30 and matured for a planned 20 months. It has a wonderful bouquet that is very floral in style and perfectly controlled, perhaps more refined than the 2022 (which incidentally had a degree more in alcohol). The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth entry, finely tuned with impressive mineralité. It just gently rolls out on the languorous finish. This is a more understated Ausone compared to recent vintages, but it exudes sophistication and could easily surpass the Vauthiers' 2022.