CHÂTEAU AUSONE
2025 1er Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
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)
75cl bottles (wood case of 6)
* 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.
A blend of 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2025 Château Ausone unwinds in the glass with notes of sweet raspberries and mulberries mingled with notions of mint, rose petals and blood orange. Medium- to full-bodied, lively and perfumed, with lovely energy, exquisitely refined tannins and a bright, precise finish, it shows extraordinary potential. Some discreet changes are underway at this address, with picking (between September 2 and 23) broken up plot by plot to a greater degree; a review of the estate's cooperage choices in pursuit of better integration; and, at least this year, no second wine for the first time since 1994—given the quality of Ausone's terroir and vine material, that seems entirely reasonable. The result is one of the most refined, classy Ausone vintages in recent years, and it will be exciting to follow these evolutions over the years to come. Rating: 97-99 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2026)
Nuanced layers of rose petals and iris flowers, knitted down, textural and expansive, will take its sweet time to uncoil and uncurl, but you can see exactly how rewarding it will be to follow its journey. A stunning example of Ausone. Harvest September 2 to 23. No Chapelle. 30hl/h yield, 3.5ph, 100% new oak. Drinking range: 2034 - 2050 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Apr 2026)
The 2025 Ausone is powerful, dense and packed to the core. Readers will have to be patient with the 2025, as it is quite reticent. In 2025, the Vauthier family did not produce a second wine at Ausone. Consequently, the blend in the Grand Vin is a bit different than in most years, at 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Time in the glass brings out hints of blood orange, rose petal, mint and raspberry jam. It will be fascinating to see how the 2025 ages. Drinking range: 2035 - 2075 Rating: 95-97 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2026)
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 £17.50+ 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 2025 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2028. 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:-
- +£20.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£10.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£50.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£70.00 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 2028. 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 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.