Visit to Chateau Ausone

Chateau Ausone

I was able to visit Chateau Ausone and participate in a tailored tasting of its portfolio of wines organized by wine critic Jean-Marc Quarin. Present was also my long term wine friend and former colleague Jeff Kennedy who lives in California. We worked together in Asia back in the days after the 1998 Asia Financial Crisis and precisely 20 years ago we did a Bordeaux educational tour together with Jean-Marc. La Bouche avant le Nez is Jean-Marc’s educational credo and his technique helped me to become a much better taster. So it was great to see us all re-united for a splendid day on the right bank, starting with no one less than iconic Chateau Ausone.

The legendary Alain Vauthier himself greeted us and hosted the tasting and cellar visit. Alain was in very good form that day not only talking about his wines but about Bordeaux more broadly, the economic situation, wine drinking habits, challenges and opportunities. It is great to see that despite him being a long term insider and in retirement age, he is still full of fresh perspectives – not to mention his dry wit.

What makes Ausone truly singular is its terroir mix. The vineyard, a mere 7 hectares – tiny by Bordeaux standards – includes holdings on the St.Émilion limestone plateau and on the steep terraces just outside the village. The combination of clay over pure limestone gives the wine its signature finesse and aging potential. With a mix of large proportion of Cabernet Franc (often 50% or more) and Merlot, the wines are known for their minerality, vertical structure, and haunting aromatics. In a region where many wines are plush and generous, Ausone stands apart for its precision and spine. This was very much noticeable in today’s tasting, the wines offer more finesse than most right bank wines.

Ausone and Cheval Blanc were the only “Premier Grand Cru Classé A” in the St.Émilion classifications for the longest time, so it sent shock waves through the system when they withdrew from it in 2021. Both estates cited a lack of transparency and relevance in the evolving criteria of the classification system, which had become increasingly focused on factors like tourism and social media presence. For a property like Ausone – whose legacy and quality have long spoken for themselves – the decision felt almost inevitable. It was a quiet yet firm assertion that their reputation need not be validated by external rankings. Too bad for the consumers that the classification became politicized. It should be a helpful tool if well managed.

Alain Vauthier pouring his wines, Jean-Marc Quarin commenting on style, terroir and quality

Chateau Ausone – Key facts

Ownership: Vauthier family

Location: Saint-Émilion

Vineyard Size: 7 hectares

Annual Production: Approximately 2’000 cases

Grape Varietals: 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot

History: Named after the Roman poet Ausonius, Château Ausone boasts a rich history dating back to the Roman era. The estate has been under the stewardship of the Vauthier family since the mid-1990s, with Alain Vauthier taking over management in 1995 and handing over the reigns to his daughter Paulie in 2005.

Notable Features: The vineyard’s unique terroir, characterized by clay and limestone soils on asteriated limestone bedrock, contributes to the wine’s distinctive minerality and longevity. If you like this more restraint style you may also like estates like Canon, Figeac, Cheval Blanc.

The natural Limestone quarry cellar and garden terrace of Chateau Ausone

In general, I found the Ausone portfolio very attractive. The wines are more elegant, restraint and fresh than many other right bankers. A distinctive trait amid global warming threats.

Tasting Notes

2022 Château Haut-Simard St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend, 92 Points
A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot. This shows dark cherry and blackberry on the nose, interwoven with a light earthy character and gentle oak seasoning. The palate is linear, fresher and more tensile than its Merlot-based siblings, with a lighter body and a clean, clipped finish. A fine effort.

2022 Château Moulin Saint-Georges St. Émilion Grand Cru, 92 Points
A blend of 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. This cuvée is markedly richer than Haut-Simard, offering aromas of ripe plum, cassis and a pinch of Indian spice. The palate is plush and full, yet avoids any sense of overripeness or heaviness. Balanced and expressive.

2022 Château La Clotte St. Émilion Grand Cru, 96 Points
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. but here with a leap in refinement. The bouquet is immediately captivating – floral notes of violets, exotic spice, and forest floor mingle with hints of fruitcake. The palate is equally impressive: seamless, elegant, and long. I did not know this Cru that well before and I am stunned at the quality and elegance. A discovery!

2022 Chapelle d’Ausone St. Émilion Grand Cru, 96 Points
60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drawn from the same vineyard as Ausone but from younger vines and not from separate plots like so many second wines. It is just from younger vines and from parcels that did not make it into the Grand Vin for stylistic reasons. This is open and aromatic, with truffle-tinged dark fruit and a finely etched bouquet. The palate is precise and beautifully balanced, as expected slightly lighter through the mid-palate than the Grand Vin. A cerebral second wine that will appeal to those who prize finesse over power. Given the price difference between the Chapelle (180€) and Ausone (600€) this is really an attractive buy.

2022 Château Ausone St. Émilion Grand Cru, 98 Points
50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot. More reserved on the nose than Chapelle at this early stage, showing cool-toned dark fruit and a whiff of wild herbs. The palate, however, makes its case – clearly broader, deeper, yet still impeccably defined. There’s an effortless grandeur here, aristocratic and poised.

2016 Château Ausone St. Émilion Grand Cru, 96-97 Points
50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot. This bottle needed air to shake off its slumber, but eventually revealed notes of truffle, dark cherry, and thyme. True to the vintage, it is precise, fresh, and more lithe than muscular, but no less complex. A graceful and cerebral Ausone that rewards patience. 96-97

The portfolio of Chateau Ausone