Chapelle d'Ausone - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021

matthewjukes.com

17,5 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe8/2/2022

Very strangely, this wine is a song to Cabernet! I couldn’t believe the blend as I was typing this (Merlot was ravaged by mildew here), yet while this wine might not feature any Merlot at all, it is most definitely Merlot-shaped and textured. I cannot sense that this is a 100% Cabernets creation, yet the fiche technique does not lie! The plumminess and the texture are classic Merlot, and the length shows cherry, plum and fruitcake nuances that all point to the M-word. But, there is a rigidity and an upright directness here and a fragrance that only Cabernet, particularly Franc, can bring. Utterly fascinating and beguiling and a one-off that collectors will undoubtedly obsess over, I love this anomaly. Still, with only 2000 bottles made, Pauline Vauthier explained that while it is delicious and completely unique, it is also very limited! 17.5

Jamessuckling.com

94-95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe6/8/2022

Lots of cool blue fruit and violets with some stones and chocolate orange. Supple, silky and very sleek tannins. Medium to full body. Lengthy and fresh on the finish. 75% cabernet franc and 25% cabernet sauvignon.

The Vintage Journal

93-94 / 100

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2022

Medium-deep crimson. Very fresh redcurrant, plum praline aromas with leafy herb notes. Beautifully concentrated and minerally with redcurrant, dark plum espresso/mocha notes, fine slinky/ al dente tannins, and some savoury oak complexity. Finishes leafy firm and long. 75% cabernet franc, 25% cabernet sauvignon. Vinification in oak vats, followed by 20 months' maturation in French oak.

The Wine Cellar Insider

91-93 / 100

byJeff Levethe5/16/2022

Ruby in color, you find an intriguing cedar, leafy herb, tobacco leaf, coffee bean, red plum and black raspberry nose with a touch of cinnamon in the background. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, lively, fresh and vibrant, with a crisp edge to the red fruits on the palate. The wine blends 75% Cabernet Franc with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.6% ABV. This is the first vintage of Chapelle d'Ausone without any Merlot in the blend. Drink from 2026-2037. 91-93

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

92 / 100

byJane Ansonthe5/13/2022

Bright violet in colour, with ripe and sappy fruit. This is gorgeous, showing less intensity than recent vintages but a delicately-boned wine with hidden power that leans into the vintage, and is proof of how adaptive this terroir is - fresh in hot vintages, but generous in cool ones. Gooseberry, redcurrant, red cherry, raspberry, crushed rocks, and one of the rare 2nd wines that truly delivers in 2021. Philippe Baillarguet cellar master, 100% new oak, harvest October 4 to 6.

Vinous

88-90 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/12/2022

The 2021 Chapelle d'Ausone, matured in 90% new oak, has a crisp, pure bouquet of black fruit infused with touches of pencil box; hints of violet emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied and correct, with a strict, linear opening, fine salinity and moderate persistence.

Vinous

90-92 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe5/11/2022

The 2021 Chapelle 'Ausone is an unusual blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, a choice forced by significant losses in the Merlots. Crushed rose petal, mint, red berry fruit, mocha and spice are nicely lifted. A wine of mid-weight structure and class, the Chapelle is very nicely done in what was a brutal vintage for the Vauthier family and for this wine. Yields are down 50%. The 2021 finishes with a lovely burst of understated floral intensity.

vvwine

93-95 / 100

byAdrian Van Velsenthe5/10/2022

Dunkles Purpur. Die Nase strahlt aus dem Glas, klar und rein wie ein Bergbach, viel dunkle Frucht, dezente Röstnoten vom Holz, ein Hauch Lakritze, florale Töne, faszinierend. Der Gaumen beginnt rund, leicht cremig, reife, satte Frucht, feinkörniges Tannin, das ist wunderschön balanciert, zeigt keine Schwere, einfach nur eine knackige Frucht, Finesse und im Abgang ein rotfruchtiges Rückaroma. Ausgezeichnet. Wüsste man nicht, dass man hier beim Zweitwein ist, ginge dieser Wein locker als Erstwein durch. Klasse. 2025-2040 (Verkostet im April 2022. Château Ausone)

Anthocyanes

92-94 / 100

byYohan Castaingthe5/6/2022

Assemblages réalisés. Très charmeur avec des notes de cassis, de fleurs, de graphite, très léger boisé, violette et iris. Bouche droite, tendue, une belle structure enveloppante avec une acidité plus importante que d'habitude et une finale aérienne et fraiche. Un Chapelle délicatement variétal en bouche grâce à son assemblage particulier cette année. Fusain et graphite en finale. Très délicat et dentelé.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byWilliam Kelleythe4/29/2022

Inviting aromas of berries and plums mingled with vine smoke, spices and loamy soil introduce the 2021 Chapelle d'Ausone, a medium to full-bodied, melting and precise wine that's pretty and seamless, with lively acids and a long, penetrating finish. As usual, it's a blend of wine from young vines with a few barriques of declassified Ausone.

Decanter.com

92 / 100

byGeorgina Hindlethe4/1/2022

Soft perfume, green pepper, wild herbs, creamy black fruits, smoked cedar and dark chocolate - the Cabernet really shining through on the nose. Round and juicy on the palate, bright with lots of energy - almost-sour cherries, blueberries and freshly squeezed strawberry, a joyful burst of summer berry fruits. Subtle and soft in terms of texture with fine and smooth tannins, it's not at all showy, more calm and quiet with a burst of red fruit, then the minerality and soft saltiness comes through. I like the different components, all individually very precise and brought together. A good effort for the vintage. No Merlot for the first time, this is a blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon.