Chateau Ausone 2009
-
Spectator
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Such a dreamy, perfumed aroma to this wine. Full-bodied, but wonderfully polished and integrated. It touches every millimeter of your palate and the texture makes you want to cry. It touches your soul. Goes on for minutes. Another perfect red?
Barrel Sample: 97-100 Points -
James Suckling
Incredible nose of currants and blueberries. Flowers too. Licorice. Such purity on the nose of Cabernet Franc. Full body, incredible structure, with fabulous tannins and a long, long finish. Built out of stone. The prefect Ausone. Try after 2022.
-
Wine Enthusiast
With huge freshness, the wine almost sings with elegance, despite its 14.5 percent alcohol. The texture is opulent, full of intense black fruits and a core of solid tannins. Impressive balance.
Barrel Sample: 97-99 Points -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A masterpiece in the making, proprietor Alain Vauthier’s 2009 Ausone boasts a dense purple color along with notes of powdered chalk, crushed rocks and wild blue, red and black fruits. Extravagantly rich with great minerality, precision and freshness as well as a voluptuous texture (unusual for a baby Ausone), this is an extraordinary wine. Sadly, there are fewer than 1,200 cases ... for the world. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060+.
Rating: 98+
Other Vintages
2022-
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert - Decanter
-
Suckling
James - Decanter
-
Parker
Robert
-
Suckling
James - Vinous
- Decanter
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
-
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
- Decanter
-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert - Decanter
-
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb
-
Parker
Robert - Decanter
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine -
Spirits
Wine &
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
The site is exceptional: divided between the limestone plateau and Saint-Emilion’s calcareous clay slope, facing east-south-east and sheltered on its north and west sides, Ausone was one of very few Saint-Emilions to come unscathed through the terrible frosts of February 1956. The 7 hectares of vineyard, lying in a single plot around the chateau, are planted with 55% of Cabernet Franc and 45% of Merlot. The vines are very old, with an average age of 50 years. Their low yield (33 hectolitres per hectare) in part explains the wine’s concentration and its potential for improving over time.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.