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Ausone 2001

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc

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Label

Tasting Notes

The 2001 Ausone has put on even more weight than I anticipated. The wine of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored 2001 boasts a provocative, floral perfume of crushed stones, raspberries, blackberries, creme de cassis, licorice, and smoke. What makes it so sensational are the layers of flavor and nuances that unfold as the wine sits in the glass as well as on the palate. This is an extraordinarily intense effort, but remarkably elegant and well-balanced. It ideally needs another decade of cellaring; it should last for 4-5 decades! Alain Vauthier is a perfectionist, which is evidenced by what he has produced over the last half dozen vintages at Ausone. Kudos to readers lucky enough to find a bottle or two ... and live long enough to enjoy them in their prime. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050+.

98
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (153), June 2004
95/100
James Suckling, Wine Spectator, March 2002

Mid red. An enveloping cloud of warm, rich aroma. Quite pronounced acidity and freshness. Spiney – linear. An interesting wine. Very hard work on the palate at the end – a bit forced. Very dry finish. Another wine that tastes Spanish!

16
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, October 2007

A very fine wine, so close in quality to the 2000 but 25% less in volume (yield 28 hl/ha). Deep colour, beautifully pitched dark berry fruits, sweet and smooth on the palate with loads of fine tannins and a freshness on the finish. *****

James Lawther MW, Decanter.com
Read more tasting notes...

The inky purple-colored 2001 does not display the breadth of flavor or pure magic of the 2000, but it is already a candidate for the vintage's longest-lived wine. It possesses the tell-tale Ausone bouquet of liquified minerals, blackberries, black currants, and flowers. It is sweet, ripe, structured, tannic, and impressively endowed, with a finish that lasts over 30 seconds. Although the tannin is noticeable, so is the fruit purity, freshness, and delineation. Medium to full-bodied, this gorgeous Ausone is for connoisseurs only. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050.

94/96
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (146), April 2003

The 2001 does not display the breadth of flavor or pure magic of the 2000, but it is already a candidate for the vintage's longest lived wine. Its striking blue/purple color is accompanied by a classic bouquet of liquified minerals, blackberries, black currants, and flowers. It is sweet, ripe, structured, tannic, and impressively endowed, with a finish that lasts over 30 seconds. Although the tannin is noticeable, so is the fruit purity, freshness, and delineation. This gorgeous Ausone is for the patient only. It is a profound effort from perfectionist proprietor Alain Vauthier. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050.

91/94+
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (140), April 2002
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.