A masterpiece in the making, proprietor Alain Vauthier’s 2009 Ausone boasts a dense purple color along with notes of powdered chalk, crushed rocks and wild blue, red and black fruits. Extravagantly rich with great minerality, precision and freshness as well as a voluptuous texture (unusual for a baby Ausone), this is an extraordinary wine. Sadly, there are fewer than 1,200 cases ... for the world. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060+
- Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012

(95-97+ pts)
The 2009 Ausone, was produced at probably twice the yields of the absolutely remarkable 2008, but is another profound effort from Vauthier. Dense purple in color, with an almost liqueur of limestone intermixed with acacia flowers, blueberry, raspberry, and boysenberry fruit, the use of 100% new oak is completely concealed by the wealth of fruit and the lavish richness this wine exhibits. Nevertheless, there is a striking precision, minerality, and purity to Ausone. This wine might be far more drinkable in 7-8 years than the 2005 or 2008 will be with the same amount of aging. Nevertheless, any person lucky enough to latch on to one of the 1200 or so cases of this wine should realize it is going to evolve for 20-50 years. (Tasted once.) Two more brilliant wines from Alain Vauthier, but you might have to forgive me for not giving a potentially perfect score in 2009. Readers (and I) have been spoiled by my reviews of 2008, 2005, 2003, and 2000. Certainly, his 2009 may turn out to be as riveting, but at this stage, I would have to rate all those vintages just a notch or two higher.

Bright ruby-red. Serious medicinal reserve to the aromas of iron, violet and coconutty oak. A real mineral bath on the palate, with outstanding concentration and energy to the flavors of dark berries and flowers. Hiding more than it's showing today and destined for three or four decades of improvement in bottle. The remarkably palate-staining finish features outstanding tannic spine and grip and great lift for such a big wine. A knockout, and likely to be a Bordeaux monument.

The 2009 Ausone has a sumptuous bouquet with pure blackberry, raspberry, rose petal and orange blossom aromas. The wine is beautifully defined blossoms with aeration. It becomes very liquorice and menthol-like after 10 minutes’ aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It is not a powerful 2009 and it feels sleek and quite tensile. Pure red fruit linger in the mouth with a very deft, almost understated finish. So elegant, so Ausone. - vinous.com, March 2019

[55CF/45M] Dense, closed, mineral imbued black cherry nose; beautifully cut, rich, vigorous, finely tannic wine, a first rate long term balance. Firm fleshed yet plush core, here you really feel the texture of the best 2009s - generous and satiny, with great vitality too; classic close grained flavours: sweet, vividly fresh, very discreetly powerful, its limestone minerality subtle yet marked; packed with refined fruit, very aromatic, effortlessly purring length across palate, with a seamlessly scented aftertaste of terrific length. An intense yet uttlerly effortless fruit presence from start to finish. Classic, fine, grand Ausone - not a stitch out of place. Long term finesse, exhaustingly good. 2024-50+

Incredible nose of currants and blueberries. Flowers too. Licorice. Such purity on the nose of Cabernet Franc. Full body, incredible structure, with fabulous tannins and a long, long finish. Built out of stone. The perfect Ausone.