Chateau Ausone - Chapelle d´Ausone 2015

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "The second wine of Château Ausone, this is a great bottling in its own right. Powerful tannins merge into equally fine black fruits. The tannins and a complex mix between ripe fruit, acidity and spice go together into an impressive wine for aging. Drink from 2027."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Starting with the second wine of Ausone, the 2015 Chapelle d'Ausone checks in as roughly 45% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a screaming good wine offering notes of black raspberries, licorice, smoked earth, and exotic flowers. With fabulous opulence, full-bodied richness, ripe tannin, and a stacked mid-palate, it’s a serious wine that will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, zart nach Preiselbeeren und Lakritze, feines dunkles Beerenkonfit, tabakige Nuancen. Saftig, extraktsüß, elegante Textur, feine, reife Tannine, lebendig strukturiert, etwas Nougat im Abgang, zarte schokoladige Nuancen im Abgang, ein stoffiger Speisenbegleiter. Alles andere als ein Zweitwein."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A second label produced mainly from the younger vines at Château Ausone, the 2015 Chapelle d'Ausone is a blend of 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak barrels, 85% new, for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it appears broody to begin, offering glimpses at black berry preserves and crème de cassis notions with nuances of cigar box, Chinese five spice, menthol and chocolate box. Full-bodied, firm and grainy with a taut structure and packed with youthful, muscular fruit, it finishes on a compelling mineral note."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Gorgeous perfumes of lavender, roses, currants, blackberries and violets follow through to a full body, and soft and round, beautifully textured tannins. Alluring and inviting to drink now. Beautiful length. Very open and savory for the second wine of Ausone."

DECANTER: "9,000 bottles this year (more than the usual 7,000-8,000), using 10% Cabernet Sauvignon along with the Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Fragrant, elegant nose. Lovely texture. Little sweetness then really fine, matted tannins. Seductive but structured as well. Drinking Window 2022 - 2035"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: “It is hard to believe this is a second wine with all that is going on here. The black and red fruits are ripe, intense, fresh and sweet. The tannins are soft and ripe, giving you soft, polished, elegant textures, volume and complexity."

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am Rand. Delikates Bouquet, Brombeeren und dunkles Malz, zeigt eine schöne Würze. Im Gaumen saftig und elegant, feinkernige Mitte, das gibt eine gewisse Rasse, wirkt momentan noch etwas vordergründig. Kann noch zulegen."