| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Jun 2009 Robert Parker 91 Drink: 2009 - 2024 $379-$595 After revealing some amber at the edge as well as copious aromas of fruitcake, crushed rocks, incense, and a weedy character, the 1990 Ausone offers up sweet, jammy fruit notes as well as a firm finish with the tell-tale crushed rock minerality that this estate often achieves. The aromatics suggest a fully mature wine, but in the mouth, the firm structure and density indicate this effort needs more time. This wine gives off mixed signals, and I suspect it will last much longer than it appears, but only time will tell. There is a lot to like here, but the 1990 is not one of the most profound Ausones, such as those made since 1998. Owners should try a bottle and make up their own minds, but I think it has another 10- to 15-year window of maximum pleasure.
The 1990 is not a charming, precocious wine. It is closed, but the color is a dense, dark ruby with no amber or orange at the edge. The fruit is sweeter, and the wine is more muscular, richer, and broader in the mouth, without losing Ausone's tell-tale minerality, spice, and curranty fruit. There is a good inner-core of sweet fruit in this medium to full-bodied wine that needs another 15-20 years of cellaring. Can the 1990 possibly rival the 1983 or 1982? Perhaps ... but don't bet on it. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Last tasted, 11/96.
The 1990 is not a charming, precocious wine. It is closed, but the color is a dense, dark ruby with no amber or orange at the edge. The fruit is sweeter, and the wine is more muscular, richer, and broader in the mouth, without losing Ausone's tell-tale minerality, spice, and curranty fruit. There is a good inner-core of sweet fruit in this medium to full-bodied wine that needs another 15-20 years of cellaring. Can the 1990 possibly rival the 1983 or 1982? Perhaps ... but don't bet on it. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Last tasted, 11/96.
Long-time readers of this publication know that I believe Ausone is the most intellectually challenging wine made in Bordeaux. The wine often tastes as if it needs 40-50 years to shed some of its astringency and closed style.
The 1990 is not a charming, precocious wine. It is closed, but the color is a dense, dark ruby with no amber or orange at the edge. The fruit is sweeter, and the wine is more muscular, richer, and broader in the mouth, without losing Ausone's tell-tale minerality, spice, and curranty fruit. There is a good inner-core of sweet fruit in this medium to full-bodied wine that needs another 15-20 years of cellaring. Can the 1990 possibly rival the 1983 or 1982? Perhaps ... but don't bet on it. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030.
