2023 Chateau Ausone (1.5L)

I don't think I have tasted an Ausone like this. The purity of fruit and fluidity is so primary, like perfectly picked grapes with their juice. Then there is citrus freshness. It's muscular, with toned tannins that caress the palate and give a seamless finish. This really could push the boundaries for the character of Ausone, in the way of finesse with structure. Watch it. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. ~ (99) James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 4-22-2024

The 2023 Ausone reveals an incipient bouquet of violet, smoke, dark wild berries, spices and cherries, all beautifully interwoven with creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with a rich chassis of tannin, it has a vibrant core of fruit and a long, mineral, vanillin-inflected finish. At 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, this ranks alongside the 2014 vintage as one of the most Cabernet-dominant Ausone vintages of recent years, and it will mature for 20 months in new oak barrels. ~ (97) Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 4-26-2024

~ (98) Neal Martin, Vinous 4-27-2024

~ (98) Antonio Galloni , Vinous 4-30-2024

Density and well-cushioned fruit, another stunning vintage of a wine that somehow manages to make an effortless impression, edges of cloves and grilled sandalwood, full of nuance and capturing the aromatics depths and heights of the vintage, gorgeous. 100% new oak. Philippe Baillarguet cellar master, Vauthier family owners, organic certified in the vineyard. ~ (97) Jane Anson, Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux 4-19-2024

Cool and refined but very embryonic. Floral notes with a vanilla edge, the oak not yet fully integrated. Pitch-perfect ripeness, the fruit succulent, the tannins all but hidden. Plenty of freshness, length and drive. ~ (17.5) James Lawther, JancisRobinson.com 4-24-2024