2020 Chapelle d'Ausone
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Very dark. Sweet, inviting black fruit. Smooth, lightly leafy but nicely meshed already, fruit and freshness around a well-set tannic framework. Embryonic but well set for the future. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jane Anson, Decanter
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Chapelle d'Ausone has ample toasty oak on the nose, which continues to shade the black fruit underneath. Yet it coheres in the glass, finally allowing the terroir to shine through. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a fine bead of acidity. It's very harmonious, with a precise and persistent finish. There's wonderful mineralité and tension here—superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
The 2020 Chapelle d'Ausone contains more Cabernet Franc (60%) than the grand vin this year and 5% of Cabernet Sauvignon too. Revealing aromas of cherries, red berries, incense and cloves, it's medium to full-bodied, perfumed and precise, with a satiny attack and a saline finish.
About the producer
Ch. Ausone is one of Bordeaux’s most respected estates. At this small property, perched atop a hill overlooking the town of Saint-Emilion, the Vauthier family produces some of the finest wines in the region.