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Tasting notes
A depth of colour here. And depth again on the nose. Dark fruit and violets. Blackcurrants and cream. And deep black fruit and energy in the mouth. This is non-turbo Ausone, and it’s lovely. Very, very good. An Ausone for drinking. Excellent. Joss Fowler, FINE+RARE, April 2014.
Critic scores
Average Score
FINE+RARE
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Medium garnet in color, the 2013 Ausone needs a bit of shaking to wake up notes of stewed black cherries, dried cranberries, and cassis, followed by wafts of cigar box, fried herbs, and cast-iron pan. The medium-bodied palate has minerals galore, with a firm, grainy texture and bags of freshness, finishing with great length.
The 2013 Ausone has a touch more fruit intensity than the Cheval Blanc. It's well-defined with redcurrant, sage and a background minty scent that surfaces with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet, slightly candied opening. Fleshy and Merlot-driven, it misses the dimension imparted by the Cabernet Franc this year, though it contains more purity and persistence compared directly with the Cheval Blanc. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On tasting.
Where Ausone produces 100 barrels in a normal vintage, they made just 50 in 2013, and this careful selection has paid off in terms of the quality in the glass. There is both depth and grip, and estate signature. You find a lovely smoky edge, together with raspberry, reducrrant, salted cracker, saffron, white pepper and clear finesse. What proof of the quality of this estate. I tasted this wine around six months ago in a vertical, and it performed less well than in this horizontal, showing clearly that it stands out among its peers in the vintage, but not in the lineup of the estate's own wines. You'll go a long way to find a more enjoyable 2013 St Emilion. 85% new oak, 22hl/h yield. Harvest October 2-6.
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.