Chateau Ausone 2020

The Wine Cellar Insider: "The captivates your focus with its showy display of flowers, crushed rocks, black, red and blue fruit, espresso and thyme. It takes a bit of coaxing and patience, but there is an incredible level of depth, purity, refinement, and vibrancy at play here on the palate as the wine gently coats your palate with its layers of salt-infused, black and dark red fruits. The deep seamless finish crosses the 60 second mark and keeps on going as it continues showing off its essence of minerals of fresh berries. This could be the longest lived wine of the vintage. Drink from 2030-2075."

James Suckling: "The flowers in the nose are spectacular with violets, lavender, and honeysuckle. Then there’s wet stone and freshly cut limestone. Plus there’s raspberries and blueberries. The palate is full-bodied yet very tight and reserved, with fine tannins that run the length of the wine as well as hints of cedar, sandalwood and vanilla bean. It’s long and very racy and complex. Needs eight to 10 years of bottle age to open and come together. Try after 2032."

Jeb Dunnuck: "A blend of equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot (the last time it was this blend was in 2010), the 2020 Château Ausone spent 20 months in new French oak, which has already been just about completely absorbed by this beauty. In comparison to the Chapelle d'Ausone, the Grand Vin is tighter and straighter, with an incredible yet primordial bouquet of red, blue, and black fruits intermixed with notions of iron, smoked tobacco, and graphite, with a liqueur of rocks-like sense of minerality. Dense purple-hued, full-bodied, backward, incredibly concentrated, and powerful, it has building tannins, a dense, stacked mid-palate, and enough structure and baby fat to warrant a solid decade of bottle age. This is a powerful Ausone built for the long haul, and it will unquestionably rank with the greats from the Vauthier family."

Decanter: "Deep and layered with rich, ripe blackcurrant, cherry and plum fruit that expands slowly while the texture – sleek, straight and direct – does the talking. Clean with a powdery mineral grip of liquorice and graphite that takes hold and doesn't let go. Structured and focused, no doubt muscular in its power yet so finely knit together. Laser-sharp, serious at the moment, this will take a while before it really starts to shine. It's not out to charm right now but it certainly captivates."

Falstaff: "Anfangs wenig offen. Etwas Amarenakirsche. Pfeffrige Noten. Mit Luftkontakt Rote und Schwarze Johannisbeere. Dann mehr und mehr harzig-würzige Aromen. Im Mund fleischiges Tannin mit einem kraftvoll kalkmineralisch unterlegten Gerbstoffkorn, dazu eine kultivierte, integrierte und dennoch auch vife Säure. Sehr lange Plateauphase in der Struktur, vibrierend vor Spannung, und dann doch auch mit einer cremigen Unterlage, die alles einbettet und abrundet. Große Länge."

The Wine Advocate: "A blend of equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the 2020 Ausone wafts from the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with notions of incense, spices and raw cocoa framed by a creamy patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and seamless, it's pure and concentrated, with a sweet core of fruit, generously extracted tannins and a vanillin-inflected finish. Less seamless and sensual than the lovely 2019, it will require some patience to come together, but there is no mistaking the quality of the terroir here."

Jancis Robinson: "Deep and intense with mineral, dark fruit and chocolate notes. Initially broad across the palate then firm, long, fresh and structured. Plentiful tannins but very fine and enrobed in generous fruit. Powerful but elegant with loads packed into the wine. Striking potential."