2021 Château Ausone Magnum

Winery Château Ausone

Château Ausone is among the absolute top estates in Saint-Émilion and has been considered one of Bordeaux's most iconic estates for decades. The château is situated on a steep slope with pure limestone soils, just outside the historic center of Saint-Émilion. Under the Vauthier family's guidance, the estate is cultivated with great precision, with a strong focus on terroir expression, low yields, and long maturation. Ausone is known for its understated power, finesse, and exceptional cellaring potential.

More information about this winery can be found under the Winery tab.

Saint-Émilion and the 2021 vintage

Saint-Émilion boasts a wide variety of soils, but the Ausone limestone slope is unique within the appellation. This soil imparts tension, freshness, and a distinct mineral undertone to the wines.

The 2021 vintage was challenging, with high disease pressure due to damp conditions. Château Ausone was in the second phase of organic conversion, making the year particularly demanding. Nevertheless, the estate succeeded in producing a wine with balance, precision, and a remarkably low alcohol content, giving this vintage a classic and understated character.

Vineyards and terroir of Château Ausone

Château Ausone's vineyards are situated on steep terraces with solid limestone in the subsoil. This soil forces the vines to take deep root and contributes to the wine's characteristic tension and minerality.

Due to the location and exposure, the grapes ripen slowly, which is essential for aromatic complexity and freshness. In 2021, yields at Ausone remained relatively limited, but significantly higher than at some of the family's other estates.

Grape varieties and composition

The 2021 Château Ausone is blended from 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot, with a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc than usual. This blend emphasizes freshness, aromatic precision, and structure.

Cabernet Franc delivers floral notes, tension, and length, while Merlot provides texture and a core of ripe fruit. Together, they create a wine less focused on power, focusing instead on balance and finesse.

Harvest and vinification

The Merlot was harvested on September 30th, followed by Cabernet Franc between October 4th and 6th. Some of the Merlot was deliberately left out of the Grand Vin and found its way to Chapelle d'Ausone, resulting in a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc in this cuvée.

Vinification was carried out with great precision, focused on preserving purity and tension. The wine was aged in approximately 90% new oak barrels, primarily Demptos and Taransaud, with multiple rackings to enhance structure and integration.

Magnum size and maturation advantage

This wine is offered in a magnum format. Due to the larger bottle size, the wine develops more slowly and evenly than in a standard bottle. This results in a more refined tannin structure, better integration of the oak, and a significantly longer drinking window. For a wine with Ausone's potential, the magnum is ideally suited for extended cellar aging. This is a 1.5-liter magnum in OWC/1.

Color, smell and taste

In the glass, the wine displays a deep ruby red color. The aroma is complex and layered, with aromas of red and dark berries, cherry, and plum, complemented by floral notes of iris and rose petal, spices, mint, and subtle woody notes.

On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with an enveloping texture and a core of pure fruit. The tannins are fine-grained but still clearly present at this stage. Fresh acidity creates tension, and a long, mineral finish with nuances of citrus and lime.

Structure, style and storage potential

The 2021 Château Ausone is a restrained and precise interpretation of the terroir. The style is less exuberant than in warmer years, but excels in balance, freshness, and definition.

Thanks to its structure and low alcohol, this wine has exceptional aging potential. In magnum format, it can easily mature for decades, gradually increasing in complexity and harmony.

Summary of professional reviews

William Kelley rates the 2021 Château Ausone 94+ points, praising its purity, balance, and limestone character, despite the dominant oak influence at this stage. Neal Martin awards 94 points, highlighting its freshness, floral aromas, and long aging potential. Antonio Galloni rates the wine 95 points, describing it as restrained, harmonious, and exceptionally balanced, with a long future ahead of it. The full review texts can be found in the Professional Reviews tab.

Would you like to order Château Ausone wines online?

If available, you'll find the official fact sheet and additional information about this fine wine in the "Attachments" tab. We'll automatically send you this information when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you pick it up, you'll often receive a nice discount. You'll see your discount immediately when you select "Pick up" at the checkout page. We're located in Dordrecht, right next to the A16 motorway, with ample parking. Click here for our address.

You can read the full wine reviews from Parker, Suckling, Vinous, and Wine Spectator, among others. Need advice on finding the perfect wine to pair with your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier. Free for Grand Cru customers.

Wine and food pairings

Pheasant with roasted parsnip and a light jus complements the finesse and floral notes.

Venison steak with sea buckthorn and roasted beetroot enhances the tension and the red fruit.

Grilled celeriac with black garlic and hazelnut works well with the mineral and earthy nuances.

Veal sweetbreads with citrus peel and cauliflower cream combine beautifully with the texture and fresh acidity.

Ravioli filled with ricotta, lemon and herbs matches the refined and precise character.

Blue-veined cheese such as Bleu des Causses offers an exciting contrast with the freshness and structure.