Chapelle d'Ausone 2023

Plenty of Cabernet spice on the nose, with verve and precision on the palate; medium-bodied, crisp fruit, light-footed, buoyant, with freshness and an impressive length. Makes you want to try the Grand Vin.

The nose opens with a unique combination of marine-influenced florals, licorice, and cherry aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, fresh, and polished with lively, creamy red berries. It is difficult to believe this is a second wine. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2028-2045.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections. Floral, delicate hibiscus, fresh red forest berries, fragrant bouquet. Lean, red-berry driven, taut texture, lively acidity, mineral and salty finish, medium length, light-footed, a versatile food wine.

Ruby, plum, grilled almond, fennel; love the depth of this wine—sappy and irresistible. 100% new oak. Philippe Baillarguet, cellar master; Vauthier family, owners; organic certified in the vineyard.

Score: 92–94. The nose, with clear aromas of fresh flowers and blueberry, evokes the heady late-summer atmosphere. The palate is fresh, zesty and energetic, marked by blue-fruit notes, revealing a satiny texture and a mineral tension. Delicious.

Floral freshness and a lovely fruity expression in the bouquet of la Chapelle d’Ausone. Deep and muscular, the wine is driven by a structuring acidity and powerful tannins that bring muscle and contribute to the lingering finish. Elegant and well framed by its structure, the wine combines freshness and charm.

The second wine of this brilliant château, the 2023 Chapelle D'Ausone checks in as a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged 20 months in new barrels. Juicy black cherries, classic chalky minerality, camphor, and graphite are just some of its nuances, and it's medium-bodied, focused, and juicy on the palate. It has fine, polished tannins, integrated oak, and ample classic Ausone character. Drink this beauty over the coming 15-20 years. Drink 2026-2045.

Beautiful deep red. The nose is intense and refined, fruity, subtle and complex. Full-bodied from the attack, very precise in its development and complex as well; the wine melts on the palate and finishes long and sapid, with a touch of tannic austerity. Best to wait.