Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 29/06/2007

One of the vintage’s most compelling wines (what’s new about that?), Alain Vauthier’s beloved 2004 Ausone has closed down considerably since I tasted it out of barrel, but it remains among the most concentrated wines of the vintage. Furthermore, along with Petrus, it will probably be the longest-lived. A dense purple color is accompanied by a celestial perfume of blue and black fruits, wet stones, flowers, and incense. On the palate, the wine exhibits exceptional power and concentration, but this historic terroir has also provided a surreal lightness to the wine’s impression. Beautiful flavors, sensational depth, and abundant structure suggest this 2004 will not be close to full maturity for 8-10 years. It should last for four decades.

Drink 2015-2047
Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No 7

One of the vintage's most compelling wines (what's new about that?), Alain Vauthier's beloved 2004 Ausone has closed down considerably since I tasted it out of barrel, but it remains among the most concentrated wines of the vintage. Furthermore, along with Petrus, it will probably be the longest-lived. A dense purple color is accompanied by a celestial perfume of blue and black fruits, wet stones, flowers, and incense. On the palate, the wine exhibits exceptional power and concentration, but this historic terroir has also provided a surreal lightness to the wine's impression. Beautiful flavors, sensational depth, and abundant structure suggest this 2004 will not be close to full maturity for 8-10 years. It should last for four decades.
(94 Pts) www.erobertparker.com (94+)

Tasted at Bordeaux Index annual 10-year on tasting from an ex-château bottle. The Ausone 2004 possesses a sensual bouquet that demands more encouragement than the Cheval Blanc. It does not quite have the same complexity or nuance of its fellow Saint Emilion, opting for plusher and arguably more obvious Merlot-driven red fruits. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded tannins. It feels plush and sexy that is atypical in the context of this prevalently austere vintage, caressing with layers of wild strawberry and raspberry notes that belie that firm backbone on the finish. It just needs to develop more personality and that might come with time, so keep this snuggled up in the cellar for a few more years. Tasted March 2014.

Dark red, still relatively youthful; still closed to smell, but red fruited cassis and mineral emerging; medium full, moderately concentrated wine with a crisp acidity and very fine grained, firm tannin; long and close grained, mineral backed flavor, gently mouthcoating, freshly sweet in fruit, with a long, gently mineral finish. Not big, but classically fine and graceful, still on the austere side, and a long way from maturity. Will be a fine midweight Ausone in a decade or so. 2022-40+ [M Schuster March 2014]