Château Ausone 2010

A monument of outstanding structure: fruity, dense, with crisp tannins, multi-layered, compact, intense; perfectly proportioned, with excellent aging potential.

The nose is so deep and almost endless with dried strawberries, blueberries, and incense. Citrus too. Some prunes. Full body, with chewy yet polished tannin quality and tension. Beautiful focus and balance with a richness and delicacy at the same time. Something almost Burgundian. It's the purity of fruit. 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. Try in 2020.

Ausone From a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, the wine will be aged for about 20 months in 100% new oak. 67% of the yields went into Ausone, the remainder will become Chapelle d’Ausone. The nose offers aromas of broken rocks, sweet ripe dark berries, licorice, flowers, spice, minerality, and smoke. Full-bodied, rich, and concentrated, this supple, polished wine is filled with fresh berries, freshness, spice, jam, fennel, minerality, and black cherry on the finish. 95–97 pts

Dark ruby with purple reflections and a delicate watery rim. A multi-faceted bouquet of wild berry confit underlaid with delicate smoky spice, savoury notes of fine oak and subtle nougat with a dark minerality. The complex palate is full-bodied with a fruity texture, firm, well-integrated tannins, fine acidity, salinity, and delicate chocolate and ripe black cherry notes on a finish with excellent length. This is at the beginning of a glorious career. But at the moment, this wine gives only a vague hint of what it will show in ten years and more; patience is absolutely required here. (Store/Drink +50).

55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot. 26 hl/ha. 14.5% vol. 18,000 bottles. Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with violet highlights at the rim. Solid nose, immediately showing plenty of spices, blueberries, cassis and licorice, followed by many noble black-tea notes; everything is fresh and clearly defined, yet not exuberant—a reassuring aromatic profile aiming for perfection. Only on the palate does an initial sweetness appear, underscoring the ripeness of the berries; again peppery, almost piquant, with a foreground tannin presence, as with the second wine. A still raw diamond that will need an extremely long time to harmonize and possibly become a great Ausone. One hopes that in 20 years all the potential wishes will have been fulfilled. The potential is immense, the understanding still limited, the greatness foreseeable. I belong to the oenological seers. But this hard-to-classify Ausone 2010 certainly doesn’t make it easy for the discerning taster. The search for harmony will not be simple...

(55 Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot, 26 hl/ha, 18,000 bottles) Fresh, elegant, deep, complex, Burgundy-style bouquet with raspberry, vanilla, cereal, blackcurrant, mint, and tobacco. Balanced, multi-layered, elegant, sensational palate with a silky, dense structure, complex, concentrated aromatics, and elegant, fresh fruit. Very long, fresh, multi-layered finish with dense, fine lingering notes. Can improve further. 19/20 2019 - 2040

This is precise, carved, confident, with Parma violets, peonies and crushed roses floating out of the glass, luscious and yet sculpted, creamy fruit encased in steel. This one is nowhere near ready. A wonderful wine, with huge persistence, and tannins that suggest decades ahead. This 2010 is still pretty reserved on the nose, even austere, but feels so effortlessly put together. It reminds me of the architectural angles that struck me during the 2010 En Primeur tastings. Winemaker/cellar master Philippe Baillarguet, overseen by Pauline Vauthier and father Alain, 100% new oak for ageing.

Sumptuous ensemble, combining the utmost refinement of texture with a body of rare power, even for this cru. Noble tannin. But opening it before a dozen years would be criminal.

Dense, straight, persistent, a touch more fruit, a slight firmness.

Logo on the cork: A in a circle (Amorim) Dark color, intense and slightly evolved. Very aromatic nose with ripe, smooth, spicy fruit, becoming deep and complex with aeration. Delicate on entry, particularly aromatic mid-palate, with a melting core and meticulous tannic texture; the wine unfolds juicy, flavorful, and long, while tight, nuanced, and complex. Long aging potential. Notes taken on a decanted bottle.

A big, bold wine with unbelievable power and concentration. Low yields and a dominance of Cabernet Franc have produced an immensely concentrated wine. Still very young, this magnificent wine holds the promise of great aging.