Ausone 2025 (1.5L)

99-100 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com: "A high-definition wine. Wow. The aromas are incredible, with roses, strawberries and crushed stones. So perfumed. It’s the magic of perfectly ripe cabernet franc. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and a firm and silky finish. Sublime length and mouthfeel. Cool, subtle, sophisticated and stunning. So much definition. 13.7% alcohol. A blend of 65% cabernet franc, 30% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon." 04/26

96-98 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2025 Ausone represents the entirety of the vineyard this year after trial blends convinced the Vauthiers not to make a Chapelle d’Ausone. There is also 5% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend for the first time, from five tiny plots located on a terrace close to the quarry, so that heat reflects off the wall to ensure ripening. It was picked between September 2 and 23. Almost immediately, I noticed how that soupçon of Cabernet Sauvignon tilts the style of the Grand Vin in a different and, to my mind, positive direction. Beautifully defined, a little more sapid, perhaps just a tad less precocious than usual, there is a sense of classicism in this Ausone that I admire, terroir over growing season perhaps? The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, real depth, silky smooth, with layers of blackberry and raspberry fruit and hints of white pepper and clove. Very long, with a peacock's tail on the finish, this is a fascinating and alluring Ausone that will age with style." 05/26

97-99 Points, William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "A blend of 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2025 Château Ausone unwinds in the glass with notes of sweet raspberries and mulberries mingled with notions of mint, rose petals and blood orange. Medium- to full-bodied, lively and perfumed, with lovely energy, exquisitely refined tannins and a bright, precise finish, it shows extraordinary potential. Some discreet changes are underway at this address, with picking (between September 2 and 23) broken up plot by plot to a greater degree; a review of the estate's cooperage choices in pursuit of better integration; and, at least this year, no second wine for the first time since 1994—given the quality of Ausone's terroir and vine material, that seems entirely reasonable. The result is one of the most refined, classy Ausone vintages in recent years, and it will be exciting to follow these evolutions over the years to come." 04/26

97 Points, Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux: "Nuanced layers of rose petals and iris flowers, knitted down, textural and expansive, will take its sweet time to uncoil and uncurl, but you can see exactly how rewarding it will be to follow its journey. A stunning example of Ausone. Harvest September 2 to 23. No Chapelle. 30hl/h yield, 3.5ph, 100% new oak." 04/26

95-97 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: "The 2025 Ausone is powerful, dense and packed to the core. Readers will have to be patient with the 2025, as it is quite reticent. In 2025, the Vauthier family did not produce a second wine at Ausone. Consequently, the blend in the Grand Vin is a bit different than in most years, at 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Time in the glass brings out hints of blood orange, rose petal, mint and raspberry jam. It will be fascinating to see how the 2025 ages." 04/26

95-97+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com: "Checking in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from 7.25 hectares of vines on a limestone hillside just outside the village of Saint-Emilion, the 2025 Château Ausone will spend 20 months in new barrels. The Merlot was harvested September 2-12, the Cabernet Franc September 15-18, and the Cabernet Sauvignon on the 18th, from yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare. It's a very classic expression from this château, with ripe black cherries, graphite, classy oak, liquid violets, and chalky minerality on the nose. On the palate, it's rich and medium to full-bodied, with a straight, focused, beautifully concentrated mouthfeel, plenty of chalky tannins, and a great finish. As with most Ausone, the cellar is going to be your friend." 05/26

96 Points, Georgina Hindle, Decanter: "A beautiful floral fragrance on the nose, smells like a wild meadow with a touch of toasted spice, vanilla and clove along with black chocolate and blackcurrants. Smooth and creamy, round and filling with a really bright core of fresh acidity backed by mouthwatering acidity and a fleshy but really cool finish. The juicy aspect is lovely – this is a fun Ausone dare I say it, with the focus on fruit purity and clarity. Certainly an elegant and finessed wine. Chewy, supple, forward and friendly. It’s not so dense but it is complex. Perhaps a touch hands off, but I love the cool freshness and the sense of direction. Nothing is out of place. Earliest harvest ever, started 2nd September with main harvest on the 8th. The first time to have Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend and no Chapelle this year, the first time since the second wine was introduced in 1994. 3.5pH. Ageing 100% new oak. A yield of 29hl/ha." 03/26