Chateau Ausone丨Wine Couple

Chateau Ausone

Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe A

There is no way to verify if the property we know as Chateau Ausone, was truly the original Lucaniac villa dating back to the 4th century belonging to the famed Roman poet Ausonius. What we do know is, if you go to the lower portion of the estate, you find numerous archaeological remains of an ancient Roman villa.

Among the ruins, you’ll find mosaics showing the property was known as “La Villa du Palat.” Regardless of where the poet planted his vineyards, Ausone has been produced for close to 4 centuries under the name honoring Ausonius from their hillside vineyards.

Chateau Ausone is one of the few famed Bordeaux estates that has remained a family vineyard. In fact, only 3 different families have owned the vineyard since it was originally created. This is quite a feat when considering the number of musical chairs taking place with all the buying and selling of Bordeaux chateaux

In order, the 3 family owners of Ausone are; the Lescours family from the 13th to the 16th centuries. This was followed by Jacques de Lescure and his heirs in the 17th century. At the close of the 17th century, The Chatonnet-Cantenat family along with the Dubois-Challon-Vauthier family took over.

Alain Vauthier who manages Chateau Ausone with his daughter Pauline Vauthier today is a direct descendant of the 17th-century owners.

In the pre Vauthier era, the estate management was handled by Patrick Delbeck, who was assisted by Alain Vauthier. But it was Delbeck who called the shots at the time.

Tasting those wines shows how much progress has been made since the Vauthier era began. The Delbeck wines are frankly technically well made but lack excitement. There was no second wine, very little selection was employed and grapes were picked far too early.

And let’s not forget effective yields. In those days, the average annual production of Ausone was close to 2,500 cases per year or more. Today, under Alain Vauthier, perhaps 1,500 cases are produced in a great year. Less wine is produced in a more difficult vintage. Tasting the wines today is all anyone needs to see the difference.

Alain Vauthier managed to take over the estate after a long and heated court battle with the other half of the family. Alain Vauthier was more than well versed with everything about Ausone by that time, as he was working as their winemaker since 1976.

It was rumored that a takeover bid was placed by Francois Pinault in 1997. The bid was reported to be the equivalent of 17 million Euros per hectare. As a point of reference, Chateau Cheval Blanc was sold at the equivalent of 15 million Euros per hectare at close to the same time.

1952-ausone

When you ask almost any chateau owner or vigneron to name the best terroir in Bordeaux, the overwhelming majority say it belongs to Chateau Ausone. That terroir, along with the skills of Alain Vauthier has turned Chateau Ausone into one of the best producers in the world!

With the 1999 vintage, Chateau Ausone began producing compelling Bordeaux wine of a singular quality that every taster should experience. At least once. One of the early decisions made by Alain Vauthier was to bring in Michel Rolland to aid in the blending.

In 2013, Ausone decided not to renew their contract with Michel Rolland. The blending is now done in-house by Alain Vauthier, Pauline Vauthier, and the long-time cellar master Philippe Baillarguet. Pauline Vauthier, who is a competitive horse rider continues taking a larger role in managing the estate and producing the wines at Chateau Ausone.

It is expected that Pauline Vauthier will eventually become fully in charge of the property in the years to come.

Another change implemented by Alain Vauthier was to install a new drainage system. The terraces and retaining walls were rebuilt. The vineyard sections with missing vines were replanted, and Ausone began a program of increasing their vine density. The multi-year restoration of the chateau and the tiny, old chapel on the property was completed in 2017.

In 2021, Chateau Ausone made a surprise announcement that from this point forward they would no longer participate in subsequent classifications. While the decision will not hurt Chateau Ausone in the eyes of the consumer, it did set back the classification to some degree. Chateau Cheval Blanc also declined to participate in future classifications on the same day. Shortly after that, Chateau Angelus also declined to participate. Starting with the 2022 vintage, Chateau Ausone will no longer state Premier Cru Classe A on the label.

Chateau Ausone 酒款：

Chateau Ausone

歐頌酒莊

酒莊的正牌酒會在100%新橡木桶中陳年，陳年時間最多達24個月，會根據年份特徵進行調整。處於陳年過程的酒會被放置在酒莊的天然石灰岩地窖中，那裡的濕度和溫度穩定，為葡萄酒陳年提供了良好的條件。

酒莊的葡萄酒一直有著“詩人之酒”的美譽，其酒液色澤深邃，散發著非常純淨的深色水果、甘草、花朵以及碎石的氣息，酒體飽滿卻不過於厚重，陳年潛力極強。Robert Parker 曾說過：“如果耐心不是你的美德，那麼買一瓶歐頌也就沒有意義了”。Chateau Ausone 的葡萄酒品質一直都十分穩定，其最佳年份囊括了2018、2017、2016、2015、2014、2012、2010、2009、2008、2006、2005、2004、2003、2001、2000和1998年等等。

點擊可查看 Chateau Ausone 2011 Tasting

Chapelle d'Ausone

歐頌酒莊副牌

酒莊的副牌酒誕生於1995年，其釀酒葡萄精選自園內年輕葡萄樹所產的 Cabernet Franc、Merlot 和 Cabernet Sauvignon，得益於園中的石灰岩土壤，這款酒蘊含著豐富的礦物質風味，散發著黑櫻桃、黑莓、黑醋栗及花朵的香氣，酒體飽滿，單寧如天鵝絨般柔順，餘味悠長，令人印象深刻。這款酒各年份的 Robert Parker及 James Suckling 評分幾乎全部超過90分，擁有較長的陳年潛力。