Buying options
Tasting Notes
Pretty aromas of crushed blackberry, with hints of ash and light earth. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, caressing finish. Goes on and on. Such class. Sleek and racy. Best after 2012. 1,500 cases made. James Suckling, Wine Spectator 2007
Critic Scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
[50:50 Merlot:Cabernet Franc with yields of around 32 hl/ha – some of the lowest anywhere in 2004.] Very dark blackish purple. Looks quite shiny. Very reticent on the nose. Quite strict – much more austere than other recent Vauthier vintages. Lots of taut, very fine tannins, very much a long–term wine which may need quite a few months more to show at its best. Fine grained, the palate builds towards the very long finish. For the moment this is a taut spring that is all promise and little current pleasure.www.jancisrobinson.com, 05 Apr 2005
One of the vintage’s most compelling wines (what’s new about that?), Alain Vauthier’s beloved 2004 Ausone has closed down considerably since I tasted it out of barrel, but it remains among the most concentrated wines of the vintage. Furthermore, along with Petrus, it will probably be the longest-lived. A dense purple color is accompanied by a celestial perfume of blue and black fruits, wet stones, flowers, and incense. On the palate, the wine exhibits exceptional power and concentration, but this historic terroir has also provided a surreal lightness to the wine’s impression. Beautiful flavors, sensational depth, and abundant structure suggest this 2004 will not be close to full maturity for 8-10 years. It should last for four decades. Jun 2007, www.robertparker.com
Related articles
About the producer
Ch. Ausone is one of Bordeaux’s most respected estates. At this small property, perched atop a hill overlooking the town of Saint-Emilion, the Vauthier family produces some of the finest wines in the region.