Tanzer Score: 94

Score: 97-100 WS

Region: Bordeaux

District: Saint Emilion

Type: Still Wine

Color: Red

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

Vintage: 2009

Futures Item: Yes

Available: 19

Brand: See more from Chateau Ausone

Sku: 125001

Price: $1,999.99

Quantity:   

Wine Spectator Review:
Such a dreamy, perfumed aroma to this wine. Full-bodied, but wonderfully polished and integrated. It touches every millimeter of your palate and the texture makes you want to cry. It touches your soul. Goes on for minutes. Another perfect red?

Parker Review:
The 2009 Ausone, was produced at probably twice the yields of the absolutely remarkable 2008, but is another profound effort from Vauthier. Dense purple in color, with an almost liqueur of limestone intermixed with acacia flowers, blueberry, raspberry, and boysenberry fruit, the use of 100% new oak is completely concealed by the wealth of fruit and the lavish richness this wine exhibits. Nevertheless, there is a striking precision, minerality, and purity to Ausone. This wine might be far more drinkable in 7-8 years than the 2005 or 2008 will be with the same amount of aging. Nevertheless, any person lucky enough to latch on to one of the 1200 or so cases of this wine should realize it is going to evolve for 20-50 years. 95-97 points.

Tanzer Review:
Bright, saturated ruby-red. Very cabernet franc- and limestone-driven on the nose, offering enticing scents of red berries, cocoa, spicy minerals and violet. Impressively intense flavors of red and dark berries are complicated by bitter chocolate and minerals. This serious, weighty blockbuster is given great verve by strong, mouthwatering acidity. Substantial but even tannins saturate the palate, and a captivating note of cedar emerges with air. This wine is going to require a lot of time in the cellar, but is starting its life with outstanding balance and class.

Other Notes:
Leaving the sample for five minutes to open up, the Ausone 09 is bridled with a sensuous bouquet of blackberries, blueberry, violets, a touch of orange zest and a hint of vanilla from the new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with exceptionally fine focus and balance, very fine tannins, a thread of citrus lemon that is interwoven from the start to the finish, a feminine Ausone, perhaps less supple and more linear than other Saint Emilion 2009, but demonstrating much better structure and freshness. There is real vitality and joie-de-vivre that really evolves with aeration. Shimmering finish. Wonderful. Neal Martin - 97-99 points.