The aromas of chalk, salt, purple fruit, black mushrooms and undertones of pencil shavings and dust are mesmerizing. Full-bodied with very fine, tense, firm tannins that frame the wine. It's very cool and suave in so many ways. Tannins are very integrated and melt beautifully into the wine. Lots of energy and tension. The fruit is clear and transparent. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. Best after 2029. ~ (99) James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 12-11-2025

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

The 2023 Ausone was picked September 14 to 30 and matured for a planned 20 months. It has a wonderful bouquet that is very floral in style and perfectly controlled, perhaps more refined than the 2022 (which incidentally had a degree more in alcohol). The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth entry, finely tuned with impressive mineralité. It just gently "rolls out" on the languorous finish. This is a more understated Ausone compared to recent vintages, but it exudes sophistication and could easily surpass the Vauthiers' 2022. ~ (98) Neal Martin, Vinous 4-27-2024

The 2023 Ausone is a powerful, heady wine. Dark, layered and explosive, the 2023 possesses tremendous depth and tons of sheer resonance, something that becomes increasingly apparent with time in the glass. Strong saline notes frame a core of dark-toned fruit, mocha, spice, new leather, pencil shavings and lavender. The savory, mineral-drenched finish is eternal. All the 2023 needs is time. Readers lucky enough to own it should be thrilled. ~ (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