Summary
Château Ausone is an estate in the commune of Saint-Émilion, France. It was first classified as a First Growth in 1855 and has remained so ever since.
The Château takes its unusual name from Decimus Magnus Ausonius, a Roman statesman responsible for cultivating the area for the growing of grapes for wine. Despite its prestige it is a relatively small vineyard, at just over 7 hectares. The property is made up of a large amount of gravel and sand over a bed of limestone.
The soils at Château Ausone have been known to produce wines with pronounced mineral notes, often considered by critics as being overly austere or “severe” in their youth. When properly aged, the Château produces wines that are elegant with silky tannins and tasting notes of blackcurrant, cherry fruit, liquorice, and game.
Situated at the western edge of the 11th-century village of Saint-Émilion, Château Ausone is one of the members of the ‘Conseil des Grands Crus Classés de Saint-Émilion’ and is ranked as a Premier Cru Classé A, or First Growth.
Grapes have been grown at the site since Roman times and vines were documented in the estate’s archives dating back to 780 AD. The records indicate that vines used for wine production belonged to Clovis, who was King of the Franks until his death in 511 AD.
The modern estate was first owned by Jean Cantenat in the early 18th century when it was known as ‘Ausonius’. Cantenat built a house on the estate and his descendants remained involved with Château Ausone until 1912 when Edouard Dubois took over ownership.
The success of the wine has been put down to a combination of factors including the chalky limestone soils and a microclimate that is beneficial for vine development. The climate around Château Ausone is well suited to wine production.
As with many vineyards in Bordeaux, Château Ausone benefits from the nearby Atlantic coast to its west. Meanwhile, the region’s temperate climate is strongly influenced by the Massif Central mountain range in Auvergne which provides cooling breezes during the summer months.
Château Ausone has an average yearly production of around 2000 cases of wine, or 180 hL bottles per vintage. The main wine produced is St-Emilion Grand Cru but they also produce a second wine called Chapelle d’Ausone.
The vineyards are a split mixture of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. The average age of the vines at Château Ausone is around 30 years old while some are over 60.
The wines produced by Château Ausone are best described as elegant, balanced and complex, with tasting notes of red fruits, spices and a subtle earthy tone. As one of only four wines to be ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine, the Grand Vin from Château Ausone commands high prices and the small number of cases keep demand equally high.
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