Ausone 2018 (750ML)

100 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2018 Ausone is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, rather predictably, the nose is almost completely shut-down on first sniff, taking considerable aeration to begin to reveal its jaw-dropping perfume of ripe black cherries, wild blueberries and plum preserves, leading to suggestions of candied violets, molten chocolate, licorice and crushed rocks with subtle cedar and pencil lead hints. The medium to full-bodied palate (14.5% alcohol) is so tightly wound and nuanced at this stage, it requires a lot of focus unravel all that is going on here. In short: a lot. The ripe, rich, black and blue fruit layers eventually give way to the beautifully cerebral earthy/minerally subtext, carried by fantastically well-knit tension, delivering an incredibly long, foundation-shaking finish. If the earth doesn't move when you drink this, you're probably not doing it right." 03/21

97 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2018 Ausone, aged for 20 months in new French oak, was tasted over a period of 24 hours. It has a very intense nose featuring layers of black cherries and blueberry fruit; the violet element is initially even more expressive than when I tasted this from barrel, then gradually ebbs by the second day. As usual, this Ausone is no wallflower, coming across opulent yet succinctly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins that frame the sumptuous black fruit, accompanied by touches of shaved truffle and clove. There is unerring symmetry to this Ausone. Precise and very persistent on the finish, which fans out wonderfully. A supremely gifted Saint-Émilion that will require several years in bottle." 03/21

99 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: "The 2018 Ausone is mind-blowing. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. I don't know what more to say. Cabernet Franc is so expressive, so vibrant so nuanced. Rose petal, cinnamon, star anise and sage meld into a core of red fleshed fruit. The 2018 doesn't impress with opulence or richness, rather it is a Saint-Émilion that is all about persistence and energy. I won't be at all surprised if it merits a higher score in the future. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. The 2018 is a viscerally thrilling wine of the highest level." 03/21

99-100 Points, James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com: "This is really exotic with wild-fruit character that I have seldom encountered in Ausone. Full-bodied yet reserved and very tight. Amazing depth and purity of fruit. Incredible beauty. Sexy." 04/19

96-98 Points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast: "This blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot is immensely rich, with a huge structure as well as a sophisticated perfume. It is a wine that is built by bright acidity and structured tannins, with a richness and elegance that demonstrates enormous aging potential." 04/19

100 Points, Jane Ansen, Decanter: "This is deep and ripped, coming out you like a powerhouse, then it stops, tiptoes away, then rises up to slowly stretch out through the palate, displaying incredible tension and length. Graphite, flint, earth, crushed stone, blackberry, cassis and a juicy salinity from the scrape of limestone. Pretty clear this is going to power through the next 30-40 years effortlessly. And it just keeps going. Clearly survived the drought of the summer without so much as breaking a sweat. 3.6pH. Average age of the vines is 52 years old. A yield of 38hl/ha." 11/20

96-99 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com: "Ratcheting up the intensity, the 2018 Château Ausone has an essence of limestone-like character as well as thrilling notes of blackberries, black raspberries, white flowers, truffle, forest floor, and graphite. Possessing full-bodied richness, a deep, beautifully concentrated mid-palate, ample tannins, and a great finish, this is a powerful, layered Ausone that's going to need 5-7 years of bottle age but should knock your socks off over the following 25+ years. The 2018 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, brought up in a mix of new and used barrels." 05/19