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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 23 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Cailles on 9/8/2021 & rated 87 points: 20 Vintages of Ausone (1986 - 2015): All wines tasted single blind. Ausone is a rare bird and hence, the term „once in a lifetime“ certainly applies to this tasting. A few oberservations: 1) Huge quality improvement in recent years: Only after 2005 I can see Ausone up there with the best Bordeauxs thanks to less oak, more depth and precision and a hightened elegance. 2) The high Cabernet Franc share in the blend (ever increasing) makes these wines quite unique, lighter and with more airiness and a darker fruit expression than most right banks. 3) The wines need a lot of time: Ausone is rather a late bloomer and does not provide as much early drinking fun as many of its right bank peers - especially the great vintages (05, 09, 10, 15). 4) The best wines with the highest scores were almost all off-vintages (a first for me). The highest scores went to 08, 06, 07, 14. These wines are weightless and show how great the big vintages will be once mature. Only the 05 was up there with the off-vintages. 5) Wine of the night and my best off-vintage Bordeaux ever was the 2008 (rated 98 pts).
TN: This was rather boring, short with some teritary aromas and dark fruit and lots of minerality but not much more. The tannins are molten but the wine is not harmonious, a bit astrigent and not sweet enough. Overall not a bad wine but nothing to chase.
Decanting: Not decanted, no extensive decanting needed. (2461 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 8/30/2021 & rated 89 points: Ausone vertical (20 vintages) (Fribourg): Ausone vertical featuring 20 vintages from the 1986-2015 period. Hosted by a private collector an moderated by J-M Quarin. All wines were served single-blind with no prior decant. What struck me was the outstanding performance of some of the off-vintages, especially 2008, 2007 and 2006. That said I was super-excited about the 2015 which was pretty closed but showed enormous potential. The notoriously late-maturing profile was apparent with many of the 90ies vintages not yet ready. Full list of vintages and scores included in the tasting story.
Tasting note:
A big of cellar must, leather, dry earth and barnyard come to mind first. Fruit appears more distilled than fermented with some heat noticeable. There is an aging notes complexity to it that does not go without appeal. But on the palate very rustic, lacking balance front, right and centre. (1933 views) | | | Tasted by Taronti on 6/14/2018 & rated 89 points: Not a big bouquet. Some roses, cigar box and mushrooms. Body so lean it’s almost absent. Elegant finish. Well preserved with no bricking. Opens up a bit after an hour or so. Nice for those with refined tastes rather than those seekig excitement. (3196 views) | | | Tasted by Lype on 1/12/2017: Unexpressive and closed palate, short aftertaste, not sure about this bottle. (2266 views) | | | Tasted by Sundbyberg on 11/4/2016 & rated 93 points: Very lean and smooth and quite balanced. The balance on the first sip was superb. Not very fruity, far from sweet, and quite a lot of mushrooms. Preferred cheval blanc from the same vintage. (4067 views) | | | Tasted by Overman524 on 10/23/2016 & rated 92 points: Fantastic! (2928 views) | | | Tasted by MWiking on 8/28/2016 & rated 94 points: kanske inte en stor årgång på pappret men med ålder tycker jag detta vin levererar riktigt riktigt bra.
moget, härlig smak med höstskog, läder & mörka bär.
strålande! (3247 views) | | | Tasted by Tavastgatan on 8/26/2016 & rated 93 points: My first Ausone. I'm impressed, it's very fine. Perfect bottle. Dark, mature with lovely acidic freshness. Cab Franc coming through. Classy, and I can imagine what it's like in a stronger vintage. (2446 views) | | | Tasted by FamilyLarsson on 8/25/2016 & rated 94 points: Underbart mogen med mörk frukt, höstskog, svamp och en väldigt fräsch syra. (2090 views) | | | Tasted by steinersing on 7/17/2015 & rated 95 points: Decanted for 3 hours - perfect - big fan of this wine (2132 views) | | | Tasted by Jeanda on 11/23/2014 & rated 86 points: Nez assez intense et jeune, mais plutôt végétal et plat. La bouche n'offre rien de plus, on cherche désespérément un peu de race, un élément de terroir, une force quelconque. Ne donne rien d'autre qu'un cru bourgeois moyen qui tiendrait bien dans le temps. (2368 views) | | | Tasted by steinersing on 1/24/2014 & rated 93 points: expressive, fine, decanted 2-hours ahead and much needed. Nose of porcini and a bit cigar box. not very long. (2941 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 11/29/2013 & rated 93 points: Occasional dinner group; TOP Bordeaux 1994: This is 10 years after I tasted the wine for the first time. It has evolved into a beautiful and rustic wine with just a touch of bell pepper in the bouquet and beautiful oak. Same on the palate with beautiful red as well as dark forest fruits and good acidity. The wine is lean, but also has powerful tannin still with a firm bite and some bell peppers. In its maturity stage now, but this will still be a feast around 2017 if you have a good bottle. (3549 views) | | | Tasted by danielk168 on 4/12/2013 & rated 90 points: Need about an hour in the decanter, subtle and elegant, with underlying power, not much fruit, mostly minerals and herbs, forest. (3637 views) | | | Tasted by Alex H on 9/10/2012 & rated 89 points: Capsicums , green peppers, lots of good vitamin loaded veggies. Superb rounded peppery green red fruits. Not a crowd pleaser but I quite like it. At least better than my last taste of ausone (3783 views) | | | Tasted by steinersing on 10/15/2011 & rated 95 points: This bottle much better than the last two I had of this wine - but started to drink only 3 hours after opening and only then did the wine show its best with an amazing and very open nose, perfect elegance and long finish. Delicious, fine, balanced. (3823 views) | | | Tasted by noppakit s. on 3/23/2010 & rated 90 points: Unfortunately I found 3 bottles in my cellar, Switzerland so I have to test it again...again ?
3rd time of Ausone 1994.
I just feel being boring drinking Bordeaux 1994 very much but this wine shows up a nice and elegant mineral...Oh, I really love this scent. The 1983 last 10 days didn't give me this.
By the way, the body is subtle, more elegant than the last two bottles I have tested. Less impact but very nice finish, linger, hidden power.
So glad that I didn't miss it in this period of its life.
Drink beautifully now - 2027...................90-92/100....................... (4481 views) | | | Tasted by noppakit s. on 5/4/2008 & rated 92 points: My 2nd time of 1994. The new oak is captured, good nose of young Ausone, very attractive herbs and mineral. More fresh oak than Lafleur 1993 but the same direction. Almost same feeling, same price...I like it both.
Good finish that declares itself...One of the Best Bordeaux...
Drink 2009 - 2019..............92+/100............... (4361 views) | | | Tasted by noppakit s. on 9/9/2007 & rated 92 points: I wait for a long time to test this 1994, the 1st nose is like Medoc...I guess that it's in the darkside period.
Soooo lucky...After 15 mins, Cab Franc is starting to show truely Ausone character. Vintage 1994 is a very strange vintage for St.Emilion...All the wines from this area, they represent the huge style, a little bit more fuller-bodied than usual. I was surprised, it's delicious with different style of texture...charming...
This Ausone will be perfect at X'mas next year when it's 100% awake. Anyway, today, the aftertaste is very good impact.
Ketchup....catch up....before price goes up...
*** Weak Vintage but ready to drink is Better Than Top Vintage but too young, right ? ***
Drink it 2008 - 2017 (4065 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 5/24/2003 & rated 90 points: An easy afternoon with close friends (@ PdV): Somewhat locked and acidic bouquet. Also some metal. Red fruits. After a few hours it opened up a bit. Good black as well as red fruits. Pleasant oak. Good balance between acidity and bitterness. Wait a few more years. (3245 views) |
| Château Ausone Producer website – Read more about Chateau AusoneRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanLibournais Libournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its wines
Saint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC
In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984.
As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as:
- sales price levels
- national and international commercial distribution
- the estate's reputation on the market
Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville.
The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas.
By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case.
Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class.
Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet.
The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable.
The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie).
Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..?St. Émilion Grand Cru Les Vins de St. Émilion (Syndicate Vitocole de Saint-Emilion) – Read about St. Emilion
Vins de Bordeaux:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Soil: Sandy soils with alluvial gravel deposits
Surface Area: 4,160 ha |
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