Ausone - Saint-Emilion 2021
Château Ausone, a legendary vineyard where nature concentrates its gifts in favour of wineAusonius the writer and winegrower, inciting archaeological speculation and literary inspiration, seems to have been destined to enrich wine culture with his name and reputation. The decision for the property to adopt the former at the end of the sixteenth century boded well.
The Ausone estate is anchored to the side of the hill in a place called Roc Blancan, literally “white rock”. It is a mineral stage, slowly hewn by Man, where, for the last two thousand years, life has chosen to establish itself in stone, as have the vines.
On its rocky perch, the chateau distributes its seven hectares (17 acres) of vines across small terraces. Surrounded by stone, these parcels are sheltered from the wind, while enjoying a perfect east south-east exposure. The very generous sunshine, together with the Dordogne and Isle rivers that meet nearby, concoct an ideal microclimate for the vines. Nature sees to it season after season that everything works together to ensure the growth of the finest fruit.
Successive generations of wine growers have known how to make the most of this tiny land to achieve excellence. Only 3 families have managed the vineyard since the 14 th century, offering an incredible regularity. Today,
The Vauthier family have taken care of this vineyard with an unwavering passion for the soil since 1690. Here, everyone has purple-stained hands from working in the cellars. Alain and his elder daughter Pauline, of the eleventh wine growing generation, make the wine today, while remaining loyal to the spirit of their ancestors.
Beyond the vines themselves, the wider ecosystem is also taken into account. Hedges, fruit trees and aromatic plants are also grown as companions for the vines. A variety of wildlife is also preserved, including insects, birds and even bats, which all contribute in their own way to releasing the vital energy in the soil. Methods inspired by both organic and biodynamic procedures are implemented, which are above all the gentlest ways to craft wines. In fact, in this legendary vineyard, the best tactic that Man can adopt is discretion. From the vineyard through to the cellars, all the deliberate, measured practices employed pursue a single ambition, that of enabling the terroir to express itself as genuinely as possible.
Château Ausone is the jewel of the estate, a masterpiece of subtle elegance. Like a cathedral, it initially presents a big, powerful, mineral profile of Cabernet Franc.