Wine Advisor
Ausone 2000
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 2000 tasting in London. The Ausone 2000 has a very pure nose with brambly black fruit, cassis, plum, touch of tar and liquorices and...yes...a hint of white chocolate. Wonderful definition and opulence, blossoming in the glass and developing a savoury touch from some ripe Cabernet Franc. The palate is full-bodied with lithe tannins, very fine and more feminine than its peers. Very well poised with red-berried fruit, raspberry, wild strawberry and a touch of glycerine. This is very polished and utterly sensuous, with the precision on the finish as good as any you will find in this vintage. Superb. Drink now-2040. Tasted March 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Proprietor Alain Vauthier has produced a prodigious wine that captures the essence of Ausone's terroir. A saturated black/purple color is followed by sensational aromas of ink, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and that wet stones/liquid minerality characteristic. The wine has phenomenal presence on the palate as well as astonishing richness and purity. Despite its extract, power, and richness, it is remarkably light, with a surreal delicacy. It is a tour de force in winemaking and a compelling expression of this magical terroir. It should prove to be legendary, but sadly, anyone over the age of 50 will probably not live to see it come close to maturity. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2075.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2000 is the greatest Ausone I have ever tasted aside from 100+- year old examples I had in Munich with the famous collector, Hardy Rodenstock. A saturated black/purple color is followed by sensational aromas of ink, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and that wet stones/liquid mineral characteristic. The wine has phenomenal presence on the palate as well as astonishing richness and purity. Despite its extract, power, and richness, it is remarkably light with a surreal delicacy and purity. It is a tour de force in winemaking and a great expression of this magical terroir. It should prove to be legendary, but sadly, anyone over the age of 50 will probably not live to see it come close to maturity. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2075. P.S. Even if you have to drink it young, everyone owes it to themselves to taste this prodigious effort.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
First tasted in Ausone's underground cellar in February 2003: Wow! Very deep hue. Incredible concentration and purity on nose. Blackberry, liquorice and spice. Seamless tannins. More vivacious even than Cheval Blanc. Endless finish. This just has a balance and poise that is instantly recognizable in only the greatest Bordeaux. A magnificent achievement. Again in September 2003: This is just perfect of for want of a better expressions: the dogs-bollocks (though I don't know how that will translate into French). The nose is just otherworldly, pure blackberry, cassis with incredible definition. The palate is silky smooth with brilliant balance. Blackcurrants, minerals and plums. So much vitality and freshness. As Thom Yorke would say: everything in its right place. Still wine of the vintage. At the Ausone vertical in January 2005. A deep, opaque purple colour. That stunning nose with pure cassis and blueberry with ethereal poise and definition. Very sensuous palate, seamless tannins that caress the tongue. Has the taste profile (but not structure) of Lafite. Evolving at a glacial pace. Tasted October 2003.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Two bottles were badly corked, which is certainly a scary situation for a wine where only 1,000 or so cases were produced. However, a third bottle was magical and just short of perfection. Its saturated purple color was followed by a surprisingly more evolved and open wine than I had written in my tasting note in 2003, where I predicted maturity between 2020 and 2075. This wine displays wonderful, sweet tannin and a big, sweet kiss of truffle, crushed rock, blueberry, blackberry, and licorice. Extremely rich, full-bodied, with astonishing power, precision, and delicacy, this is a sumptuous wine that should age well for 50-60 years, but in the case of the one bottle out of three that was not corked, it seemed far more evolved and forward than I suggested in my write-up in 2003.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Tasted on three separate occasions, this spell-binding 2000 is nearly perfect. Proprietor Alain Vauthier feels it is the finest Ausone produced in fifty years. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by an ethereal nose of earth, mineral, blueberry, raspberry, and other assorted black fruit aromas. There is no evidence of wood, even though 100% new oak is utilized, and malolactic occurred in barrel. Approachable for an infant Ausone, this perfectly balanced effort represents the quintessential model of power, elegance, and harmony. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. This wine is nearly transparent with layers of concentrated black fruits that are authoritatively intense. There is plenty of tannin lurking on the back of the palate. This prodigious Ausone is both large-scaled and delicate. Most Ausones require 15-20 years of cellaring (some fans say 40-50), but I, optimistically, feel it will be accessible by 2010. It is a candidate for 50-60 years of aging.
About the Producer
Located in the Saint-Emilion appellation on the right bank of Bordeaux, France, Chateau Ausone is one of only four Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe A estates in the appellation and one of the eight most prestigious estates in Bordeaux. The 7.25 hectares of vineyards at Château d'Orson are oriented to the east or south-east, allowing the vineyards to enjoy the full sun and to be protected from the north-west winds. The vineyard's proximity to the Dordogne, which is regulated by the river, provides an ideal microclimate for the grapes to grow, and the fact that the vineyard was not seriously affected by the severe frosts of 1892 and 1956 is testament to the terroir. While Merlot is the dominant wine in the Saint-Emilion appellation, Cabernet Franc is the preferred wine at Château d'Ausone, with Cabernet Franc planted in the vineyard, supplemented by some Merlot and a very small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is used only for the secondary wines (Chapelle d'Ausone, Saint-Emilion). 'Ausone, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France). The average age of these vines is 52 years, with the oldest vines, planted in the early 20th century, being up to 100 years old and planted at a density of 6,500-12,000 vines per hectare. The soils are predominantly calcareous clay and limestone, which is the main reason for the minerality of the red wines of Château Ausone, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe, France. The organic and biodynamic approach to vineyard management and winemaking at Château Ausone is a commitment to producing wines that express the full character of the terroir. In the vineyards, the staff takes care of the vines, planting fruit trees and aromatic plants, allowing insects, birds and even bats to come and go, in order to release the vitality of the soil and promote the harmony of the entire vineyard ecosystem. During the harvest, the grapes are very carefully selected and only healthy grapes of optimum ripeness are used to make the wine. During the winemaking process, the treated grapes are first subjected to Cold Maceration to extract the pigments and flavours from the skins. Next, alcoholic fermentation takes place in large traditional oak barrels, followed by Malolactic Fermentation in small French oak barrels. After this, the estate's main wines are aged in 100% new oak barrels for up to 24 months, adjusted to the characteristics of the vintage. The wines are aged in the estate's natural limestone cellars, where the humidity and temperature are stable and provide excellent conditions for the wines to age. The wines of Château d'Orson have always been known as "the poet's wine", with a deep colour, very pure aromas of dark fruit, liquorice, flowers and crushed stone, full-bodied but not too heavy, and with great potential for ageing. Robert Parker once said: "If patience is not your virtue, there is no point in buying a bottle of Ouzo". The quality of Château Ouzon's wines has been consistent, with the best vintages including 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000 and 1998, to name but a few. In addition, the estate's secondary wine was born in 1995 from a selection of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the young vines of the estate. Thanks to the limestone soils of the estate, this wine is rich in mineral flavours, with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, cassis and flowers, a full-bodied wine with velvety tannins and a long, impressive finish. With Robert Parker and James Suckling scores of over 90 points in almost all vintages, this wine has long ageing potential.
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