Ausone 2006

One of the handful of candidates for wine of the vintage is the 2006 Ausone. In fact, while tasting it, I was thinking, is there any estate in Bordeaux that, since 1998, has made as many legendary wines as proprietor Alain Vauthier has at his beloved Ausone? Boasting an inky/blue/purple color as well as an extraordinary, precise bouquet of minerals, flowers, blueberry liqueur, and black currants, this wine possesses fabulous fruit and great intensity, but what makes it so special is its precision, focus, and almost ethereal lightness despite substantial flavor intensity and depth. It is a ballerina with density and power. The abundant noticeable tannin is sweet and, not surprisingly, very finely grained. It should be cellared for a decade, and consumed over the following half century.

The inky/blue-colored 2006 Ausone possesses a striking perfume of minerals, flowers, blackberries, and blueberries. Even though 100% new oak is utilized in the wine’s upbringing, there is no hint of wood in the aromas or flavors. Despite its fabulous texture, medium to full body, size, richness, and profound depth of flavor and nuance, it is surreal in its lightness and delicacy. Prospective purchasers should be aware that the 2006, a legend in the making, will require 10-12 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2050. Obsessive perfectionist proprietor Alain Vauthier’s extraordinary attention to detail in both the vineyard and cellar has resulted in virtually perfect wines in vintage after vintage. Ausone is a 50-year wine, and generations to come will regard them with almost mythical acclaim.

Tasted at Ausone. This is a gorgeous Ausone, although not quite up to the 2000 or 2005. A deep limpid purple hue. The nose is intense and floral with blackberry, cassis and violets, with less pronounced Cabernet Franc than other vintages. A rounded sensuous full-bodied palate with grippy tannins, a minerally core but just losing a little focus and precision towards the finish. This will be a medium-term Ausone, more sumptuous in style and more approachable. Tasted April 2007.

Cedar, new wood and crushed blackberry and raspberry aromas follow through to a palate of vanilla, berry and blackberry character. Balanced and modern, with olts of fruit. Lively, with bright acidity. Best after 2014.

This is a solid Ausone, with plenty of blackberry and licorice character. Full and velvety, with a solid core of fruit and medium chewy tannins. Not the 2005, but well done.

At the end of August the grapes were richer than in 2005 and analytically 2005 and 2006 are quite similar. Alain Vauthier describes it as a rich vintage, rich in alcohol and tannins - some of the Cabernet Franc came in at 145.6%. But it is less homogeneous than 2005. In the winery, they are taken various measures to rid the building of the electric signals the French describe as ‘parasite’ and which are thought to interfere with the wine.
Much darker crimson/purple. Thick and dark, still a little rude - black fruits and berries, thick and very dense and very round and sweet at first. Pretty tough tannins but wonderfully sophisticated delicacy. Hint of greenness, rises up, dances, but not the most astonishing. Dry but very clean finish, Velvety start. Lively but a little bit skinny. More structure than the Chapelle.

Alain Vauthier has made massive improvements at Ausone in the past few years since taking full control of the winemaking and management of his family property. The wines made here now are in a totally different league from those produced in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Ausone has returned to top First Growth form and vies with Petrus and Cheval Blanc as the right bank’s top Chateau. With production levels even less than those of Petrus, Ausone has become one of the most demanded and hard-to-find wines of Bordeaux. The 7 hectare vineyard achieved a yield of only 33 hl/ha in 2006. 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot in 100% new oak. Only 1500 cases will be produced. Absolutely black colour. Huge and multi-complex. Sweet and creamy with dark chocolate, licorice and black fruits - exotic roasted, tarry notes. Layers of dense, ripe fruit and plenty of freshness and acidity to keep it all in balance. Sensational wine. ONE OF THE WINES OF THE VINTAGE.

Red fruits intermingle with the black, all backed by a mineral smoky fragrance. The palate starts quite firm but the mid flavours have sweetness giving a richer feel. Good weight of fruit shows at the back.

Bright medium ruby. Brooding, pure aromas of blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, espresso and minerals. Wonderfully dense yet weightless, with a penetrating calcaire energy to its sappy black fruit and mineral flavors. This has filled out impressively since its early days in barrel but is still just at the beginning of its evolution. The slowly mounting, compellingly long finish saturates the palate with flavor, and the substantial tannins are amazingly sweet and fine-grained. My early candidate for wine of the vintage: this fills the mouth with perfume but its fruit of steel suggests that it will last a very long time. I won't be around to drink this beauty at its peak.