CHÂTEAU AUSONE
2024 1er Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
65 Cabernet Franc, 35 Merlot: 100% new oak for 20 months in underground quarries: 13.6% alc: The Merlot was harvested on 30 September and 1 October, and the Cabernet Franc was harvested on 4 and 5 October An extreme selection was carried out at Ausone, resulting in an amazingly focused and unwavering style of wine. They employed a very gentle extraction here, which brought out the fruit’s full potential, which was, thankfully, fully ripe and gloriously complex. Alongside the indefatigable depth of flavour comes incredible composure. While this wine is an enormous step up on the second wine, La Chapelle, which dutifully did the bidding of its master by sacrificing its Merlot, the result is undoubtedly one of the most long-lived wines of the vintage, given the tannin structure, which is unlike any other wine. There is a cathedral of tannin here, with amazingly revitalising acidity, and these twin traits underpin a severity and strictness of fruit of the likes I have not seen anywhere else in 2024. The nose is stunning, and the build quality is exacting. Given the sensational rigour and determination, this wine will not be to everyone’s tastes. There is an impression that each individual berry has joined forces with its teammates to elevate this wine to a new plane. Typically atypical and shockingly addictive, this is one of the wines of the season, and you will have to wait 25 years before pulling a cork to see this for yourself. Rating: 19.5++/20 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2025)
In Bond
75cl bottles (wood case of 3)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Deep ruby in colour, this delivers texture and flavoursome sappy fruits, clear winemaking skill that maintains estate signature. You feel the tightrope walk of minerality and fruit, and as in 2021 Ausone is at the very top of what was possible in the vintage. Cassis bud, peony, violet, cloves, jasmine flowers, chamomile, subtle complexity and layers that expand and build through the palate. The successful construction of this wine highlights what was so challeging to fully achieve with so many others in the vintage. Harvest 30 September 5 October, Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. 100% new oak. Drinking range: 2032 - 2046 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2025)
A really classic Ausone, reminiscent of the great ones of the 1980s. Medium-bodied, it has such clarity and brightness and length. Purity and precision with drive and focus from superb viticulture and winemaking. A blend of 65% cabernet franc and 35% merlot. Rating: 97-98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2025)
The 2024 Ausone was picked between September 30 and October 5. It aged for 20 months in new French oak from 5 cooperages with malo in barrel as usual. There is slightly less Merlot in the blend due to mildew and coulure during the season. It has a very pure nose with black cherry, wild strawberry and a touch of cracked black pepper in the background. It just misses some of the profound complexity that a top Ausone can deliver. The palate is lovely, though, one of the most velvety 2024s that I tasted out of barrel. This is very harmonious with a focused and sustained finish. Whilst it doesn't quite have the horsepower or sheer ambition of a top-drawer Ausone, this is a success for the vintage simply because it is endowed with greater substance and persistence. There's presence here. Drinking range: 2029 - 2055 Rating: 93-95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)
Closed in by its cocoa and cinnamon oak, but with a dense core of sweet black fruits and herbs creeping through, this is as deep a perfume as Ausone normally carries at this age. Liquorice and sweet spices underneath all this. Juicy rich fruits and great extract of cassis, plum and mouth-coating silkiness of tannins and structure, this is dense and very rich with great poise and intensity. Supremely long finish. A triumph and an adequate demonstration that this is not a 'bad vintage', just one where the greatest wines are the result of great terroir and a lot of hard work. Rating: 96 Rod Smith MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2025)
The 2024 Ausone is pure sensuality. Intensely perfumed, pliant and silky on the palate, Ausone is haunting in its beauty. All the elements are so well balanced. Black cherry, lavender, mocha, espresso and exotic spice overtones all take shape in the glass. A wine of understated depth, the 2024 is impressive. Even in the early going, the 100% new oak is not at all evident, suggesting a wine with superior balance. The blend is 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot. Drinking range: 2034 - 2054 Rating: 93-96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)
Château Ausone
Unquestionably one of the biggest names of the Right Bank, this is also one of the oldest chateaux in the whole of Bordeaux. Situated at the edge of the limestone plateau on the approach to the village of Saint Emilion, at an altitude of 75 metres, Ausone dominates your view as you drive in to the village, with its beautiful stone gateposts, steeply sloping vineyards, and dry stone walls. Underneath the chateau are kilometre upon kilometre of stone quarries, the smallest of which (at 1,800m2) is the wine cellar. This was excavated back in the 16th century (most of the stone in Saint Emilion ended up building either the village itself, or the handsome limestone buildings in central Bordeaux). Further underground are stone vaults dating back 500 years! The humidity in the cellars is at well over 90%, meaning that they rarely have to perfrom ouillage (topping up), and the angel's rarely get their share! Above ground there is also the Magdeleine chapel (hence the name of the second wine of the estate, Chapelle d'Ausone), which again adds to the sense of mystique on visiting Ausone. They are currently renovating the chapel, and also creating a small room for receiving visitors (although don't hold your breath that this will ever be a centre for wine tourism - the Vaultier family are very discreet, and it is tough to get an appointment here). One of the smallest of all the top estates in Bordeaux, at just over seven hectares (smaller than its Saint Emilion rival Cheval Blanc, smaller even than Petrus in neighbouring Pomerol, but twice the size of le Pin), vines have been cultivated here since the time of Roman poet Ausonius. I'm not sure anyone is suggesting that Ausonius actually owned this vineyard, but it is likely to have been named in his honour.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. Many properties specify a standard case format, and may make additional charges for six-bottle cases, for example. We offer wood cases of six bottles as standard where these are available without extra charge, but we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. If you want six-bottle cases where a 12 bottle case is offered, please check for the extra case charge. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£9.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2027. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.