CHÂTEAU AUSONE

The 2025 Ausone represents the entirety of the vineyard this year after trial blends convinced the Vauthiers not to make a Chapelle d’Ausone. There is also 5% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend for the first time, from five tiny plots located on a terrace close to the quarry, so that heat reflects off the wall to ensure ripening. It was picked between September 2 and 23. Almost immediately, I noticed how that soupçon of Cabernet Sauvignon tilts the style of the Grand Vin in a different and, to my mind, positive direction. Beautifully defined, a little more sapid, perhaps just a tad less precocious than usual, there is a sense of classicism in this Ausone that I admire, terroir over growing season perhaps? The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, real depth, silky smooth, with layers of blackberry and raspberry fruit and hints of white pepper and clove. Very long, with a peacock's tail on the finish, this is a fascinating and alluring Ausone that will age with style. Drinking range: 2035 - 2065 Rating: 96-98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2026)

We enjoyed a wonderful visit to Ausone this year, hosted by Edouard Vauthier, who remains every bit as charming and engaging as when he spent a summer working with us at Lea & Sandeman's Chelsea shop many years ago. Happily, he had plenty to smile about. The family has produced a remarkable set of wines in 2025. The Ausone is an absolute winner. For the first time since 1982, every grape variety and every sector of the vineyard has been included in the final blend. There is no Chapelle d'Ausone this year either, with the fruit instead finding its way into the Grand Vin. In the glass, the wine is magnificent. Perfumed, refined and wonderfully poised, it combines effortless charm with impressive depth. Blueberry fruit and delicate floral notes glide across the palate, while the texture is both generous and beautifully controlled. Despite the wine's concentration, there is nothing heavy or forced about it. The tannins are polished, the oak discreet, and the whole wine seems to float rather than march. A superb Ausone, full of grace, confidence and quiet authority.L&S (Apr 2026)

A high-definition wine. Wow. The aromas are incredible, with roses, strawberries and crushed stones. So perfumed. It’s the magic of perfectly ripe cabernet franc. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and a firm and silky finish. Sublime length and mouthfeel. Cool, subtle, sophisticated and stunning. So much definition. 13.7% alcohol. A blend of 65% cabernet franc, 30% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon. Rating: 99-100 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2026)